


Tired of the Lies

by orphan_account



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Complicated Relationships, F/M, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Manipulative Lila Rossi, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Chloé Bourgeois, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 42,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26205952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Well?” Ladybug demanded, snapping him out of his thoughts, “Why were you so sure? If you’re willing to risk somebody’s life, there must’ve been a damn good reason.”“I knew because-” Chat Noir took a deep breath, “-because he’s me! Okay? I knew it was an illusion because of my real name- Adrien Agreste.”
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Chloé Bourgeois, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Lila Rossi & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 69
Kudos: 312





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A canon divergence for the world and characters of Miraculous, starting at the end of Season 1 (Volpina). We're talking world building, different arcs for the cast members, cool new powers, and hopefully an enjoyable experience for everybody who reads it. No salt.

The sky was completely clear, and the temperature was warm- a beautiful day in Paris, by all accounts. And yet the day’s natural beauty stood in sharp contrast to the grueling battle that had just come to a close atop the city’s signature tower. The magical red ladybugs- an eternal convenience for the city’s less than perfect heroic duo- managed to repair the physical damage to the Eiffel Tower, but it couldn’t do anything to correct the hearts and minds of the combatants.

“...Ladybug?” Volpina, the villain of the day, had been freed of her possession, and had returned to simply being Lila Rossi. The Italian girl looked dazed, like all of Hawkmoth’s victims did at this point. Rather than saying anything, she simply stared at her two saviors with an indiscernible expression.

Her face wasn’t _hostile,_ but it certainly wasn’t friendly either.

Ladybug took a deep breath, considering her options. Unlike the other villains that she’d faced alongside Chat Noir, Lila held a personal grudge against _her,_ and not just a random civilian (usually Chloe). It was a completely alien situation for her, and Ladybug found herself not quite certain how to respond.

_Was I in the wrong?_

It wasn’t an easy question. Lila had been lying to Adrien- blatantly, and about Ladybug. Lila had claimed to know Ladybug personally, and was weaponizing that falsehood to get closer with Adrien, something she couldn’t just _watch._ She’d overheard the discussion while she was Marinette, and decided to transform and confront Lila in the heat of the moment. And while Lila certainly deserved to be called out, using Ladybug to do it might not have been the best way to go about it…

_It’s not worth holding a grudge over._

“I... totally overreacted.” Ladybug decided to address the elephant in the room, and put a hand on Lila’s shoulder, “I never should've spoken to you like that. I'm sorry.” Chat Noir looked between the two girls, a curious look on his face.

Lila tilted her head, “Forget it, Ladybug; you were right-” In a swift motion, Lila swatted the heroine’s hand away, “We’ll never be friends!” And before either hero could say anything, Lila scooped up her necklace and walked towards an emergency stairwell without looking back.

“Ouch…” Chat Noir winced, and Ladybug couldn’t help but shake her head. There was nothing she could do about that. Ladybug meant what she said- calling out Lila was an overreaction, all things considered, but Lila was _definitely_ more in the wrong than she was. It made it all the more frustrating that she rejected the apology.

“There’s still one problem we have to solve.” Ladybug realized suddenly, as the events of the battle rushed back to her, “Where’s Adrien!?”

Not even two minutes ago, Lila- Volpina at the time- had dangled the illusion of Adrien off the side of the Eiffel Tower, demanding the heroes’ surrender. And while this alone would’ve been enough to rattle Ladybug, the effect was doubled since Adrien was missing from his house. She’d seen him back into his bathroom when the battle began, and wasn’t there when Ladybug rushed in to check on him.

In her mind, that had been more than enough to prove that the illusion was real.

“Uh… everything’s been put back to normal, right?” Chat Noir tried to control the panic in his voice, “So he must be safely back at home!”

“I should check to make sure!” Ladybug climbed up on the railing, and was about to begin swinging towards the Agreste Mansion, when Chat put a hand on her wrist.

“No, don’t worry about it! I’ll go. After all, I’m…” He trailed off, not sure of exactly what bogus excuse he’d been conjuring.

Chat Noir wasn’t in a good state either. The battle with Volpina had rattled him- or more precisely, his image of Ladybug. Seeing her react like that to the image of Adrien in danger… he had no idea what to think about it. His partner, despite her usually invincible courage, had seemed to outright _panic_ at the sight of his civilian self in danger. 

And if Chat Noir hadn’t been there, and _known_ that the illusion was false… he couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened, as he gazed into his partner’s confused eyes. Her expression quickly hardened, as Chat wouldn’t let go of her.

“You’re _what?”_ Ladybug sounded more harsh than usual, and wrestled her wrist away, “This is serious! I don’t know if-”

_“Relax!”_ Chat Noir hissed, also coming off as more abrasive, “You healed the city, he’s _fine._ If it’s that important, I can go check on him.”

“Excuse me?” Ladybug’s eyes narrowed, and she quickly took on a more accusatory stance, “Why don’t you want me checking on Adrien Agreste?”

“Because-” Chat Noir bit his tongue, and decided he’d be better served deflecting than trying to explain, “Ladybug, what’s your _deal?_ You have no reason to think Adrien hasn’t been sent on his merry way. You freaked out when you thought he was in danger-”

“And _you_ didn’t care!” Ladybug interrupted, and neither hero noticed that they were now _shouting_ at each other, despite standing less than two meters apart, “She- she was gonna drop him! Do you not understand how serious that is? He’s just a normal person! If he’d fallen-”

_“We. Would. Have. Caught. Him.”_ Chat Noir gritted his teeth, getting more and more impatient with the situation. Placating his partner without revealing his true identity was growing more and more complicated. “You’re right: he’s just a normal civilian, Ladybug! You were ready to hand over your earrings, when Volpina was clearly bluffing-”

“Don’t you _dare_ act like your lack of concern was some kind of… _intelligence!”_ Ladybug couldn’t believe her ears, “You didn’t _know_ she was bluffing! You guessed, and you were willing to risk Adrien’s life on that stupid guess because you don’t take _any_ of this seriously-”

“I knew it was an illusion. She was-”

_“How!?”_ Ladybug waved her arms, marching towards her partner and pointing an accusatory finger right in front of his mask, “There’s no way you could’ve known.”

“Because-” Chat Noir spluttered, at a loss for words. _Why do I care so much if she learns the truth? It’s not like she’s my enemy._ He’d spent months dancing around who he really was, lying about his true name to the girl he loved, and for what? There was no real reason to keep it a secret from his partner.

Chat Noir could practically hear Plagg’s voice in his head, screaming about how _nobody_ could know about his secret identity. “It’s safer this way” was something that Ladybug had said one time when he pressed her. When he didn’t press, she would dismiss his concerns with “our identities _must_ remain secret.”

And that's when it all clicked.

_I haven’t been given a good reason to keep this a secret… I do it because I was told to._

“Well?” Ladybug demanded, snapping him out of his thoughts, “Why were you so sure? If you’re willing to risk somebody’s _life,_ there must’ve been a damn good reason.”

“I knew because-” Chat Noir took a deep breath, “-because he’s _me!_ Okay? I knew it was an illusion because of my real name… Adrien Agreste.”


	2. It can't be you...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug comes to grips with Chat Noir's real identities, while Hawkmoth makes a discovery of his own.

“You don’t mean-” Ladybug finally managed to speak, but was unable to complete her thought. Instead, she continued to stare dumbly at her partner, as though waiting for him to burst out laughing and admit that this was just a really weird joke.

_ I knew it was an illusion because of my real name… Adrien Agreste. _

That couldn’t be true. Ladybug privately scoffed at the idea that her cocky, easygoing partner was the same boy she’d been pursuing for months as Marinette. It just wasn’t possible. Adrien Agreste was damn near  _ perfect-  _ humble, caring, and soft-spoken. He was an introvert through and through, and was patient enough to deal with anybody, even Chloe. Not only that, but Ladybug and Chat Noir had saved Adrien many times-

_ I’ve never seen them together. _

Ladybug nearly gasped, as she began to seriously consider the possibility that the two blond boys were one and the same. On the day that they’d battled Simon Says, Chat had slipped away mysteriously more than once, and Adrien had ‘taken a shower’ in the middle of the attack, with only a token excuse to justify it. Much like the battle with Volpina today, Adrien’s departure and Chat Noir’s arrival almost always seemed to perfectly line up.

“I mean it.” Chat Noir said solemnly, and lowered his head, “Plagg…  _ Claws in.” _

An alarm went off in Ladybug’s head, as she  _ knew _ Chat wasn’t supposed to be doing this, but she still continued to stare as a green light engulfed the feline superhero. A small black creature- his kwami, to be sure- swirled around in the air before fully materializing. The kwami was proportioned similarly to Tikki, with a head that was comically large given the size of its body, and his unnaturally green eyes were identical to how Chat Noir’s looked.

The kwami had an unimpressed expression as he made eye contact with Ladybug, and shook his head as he looked back at his wielder, “Really? This is what we’re doing?”

“Not now, Plagg.” The boy opened his button down shirt, and the kwami-  _ Plagg-  _ rushed straight into one of his pockets, “This is why I knew it was an illusion.” He tilted his head, as she wouldn’t respond, “Ladybug… are you okay?”

“I’m-” Ladybug tried to answer, and affirm that she was indeed ‘okay,’ but the words again died in her throat. Now that Plagg had vanished from her line of sight, she was left with no choice but to actually look at Chat Noir’s civilian identity, and decide for herself whether or not his claim was really true.

_ No… it can’t be. _

“Ladybug?” Adrien was growing more nervous, and began to fidget awkwardly with something on his hand- a silver ring that Marinette had seen before, but had somehow never taken the time to actually study.

“This isn’t happening…” Ladybug said, more to herself than to Adrien, and began to shake her head frantically, “You’re not- you  _ can’t _ be him.”

“So… I take it this is bad _?” _ Adrien’s voice cracked ever so slightly, and his eyes widened, even as he tried to maintain his composure.

_ Oh god. I’ve been in love with Chat Noir this entire time- _

“I don’t-” Ladybug swallowed, gripping the railing to maintain her balance, “I don’t know if this is good or bad…”

Ladybug grimaced, as she remembered their battle with the Evilustrator. The villain of the day that time had been a classmate named Nathaniel, and Ladybug had decided that using her civilian identity to get close was the best plan. She’d called on Chat Noir to protect her, and then…

_ Oh god. That was Adrien! _

Ladybug nearly stumbled backwards as she realized that the boy she couldn’t even talk to without stuttering was the one that had  _ relentlessly  _ flirted with Marinette that night. And then, without missing a beat, Adrien had approached her the next day to ask what she thought of Chat Noir.

She absently wondered if he wanted her to reveal her identity as well.  _ Probably.  _ After all, it was something that Chat Noir had wanted since the beginning. Marinette felt like an idiot- she’d had little to no interest in learning Chat’s real name, always assuming that her partner was somebody distant. But in reality, Chat Noir was actually Adrien Agreste, the boy that sat right in front of her in class, and the one she’d been pining after for  _ months. _

_ I can’t tell him who I am. _ Ladybug nearly had a heart attack at the idea of him knowing her real name. She wasn’t ready for Adrien to know that his classmate was his partner, and she wasn’t ready for Chat Noir to know that his partner was his classmate.

“Oh.” Adrien nodded solemnly, and lowered his head uncomfortably as he continued to fidget with his ring. Privately, he was panicking- Ladybug looked liable to run away at any moment, and she clearly wasn’t happy. Whether she was upset at who he was or what he’d done (revealing himself) remained to be seen, but he suspected it was the former, “I mean… I think this could be a good thing. We’ve been partners for a while now, and now you know that-”

“Look, I can’t-” Ladybug looked like she was getting frustrated, “Could you  _ please _ just transform again? I’m not ready-” Adrien nodded hastily, and quickly uttered his transformation phrase- “claws out!” 

Plagg flew out of Adrien’s pocket, and into the silver ring, immediately recoloring it to the one that Ladybug saw almost daily on her partner’s wrist. A flash of green energy engulfed Adrien Agreste, leaving only Chat Noir when the light faded. Ladybug stared at his face the entire time, watching as his eyes- a soft green as always- were replaced by Chat Noir’s more feline look. His expression remained identical- a slightly panicked look, filled with uncertainty.

“Need me to do it a few more times?” Chat Noir put on a weak smile, and tried to crack a joke, but Ladybug barely even noticed.

“I can’t do this.” Ladybug shook her head, taking a few steps backwards. An aggressive beeping from her own Miraculous was enough to catch both of the hero’s attention, “I’ve gotta- I mean, I think I need to-”

“You’re leaving?” Chat Noir’s ears drooped, as Ladybug implicitly rejected the idea of revealing her own identity. He had no right to hope for it- after all, he’d revealed his own name without asking- but he still did.

“Y-Yeah.” Ladybug nodded frantically, and looked over the side of the tower, “You should get going too. We can… I guess we can talk later?”

“I guess you know where I live.” Chat Noir said grimly, not making eye contact. Ladybug swallowed, not wanting to stay here any longer but also worried about leaving. Here she was, on top of the Eiffel Tower… with  _ Adrien. _ Her partner in crime-fighting, and the boy she’d harbored an intense crush on for months now.

**********

“Dark wings,  _ fall.”  _ Paris’s greatest villain-  _ Hawkmoth- _ called for his detransformation, leaving only Gabriel Agreste and Nooroo in his place.

_ Another failure, but an interesting opportunity… _

For the first time ever, one of Hawkmoth’s victims seemed to be a viable candidate for a second akumatization. Volpina had used her powers of illusion  _ masterfully, _ leading the heroes on a chase around Paris, and very nearly convincing Ladybug to hand over her Miraculous willingly. Hawkmoth would never allow a villain to place Adrien in any direct danger, but seeing how Ladybug reacted to the mere  _ illusion _ was almost enough to make him reconsider that position.

_ Almost. _

Gabriel Agreste emerged from his lair and took a seat at his office’s desk. He likely would’ve continued the monotony of his day job, were it not for his assistant’s voice capturing his attention. “Sir, we have a bit of a problem.” 

Natahlie was standing at the entrance to her boss’s office, both her voice and expression conveying an uncharacteristic  _ worry _ that immediately captured his attention. Natahlie was one of the most stoic individuals Gabriel had ever met- it was why he’d taken a liking to her, after all- and anything that could rattle her was almost certainly worthy of his attention as well.

“Come in.” Gabriel motioned for the assistant to enter, and she did so without hesitation, “What’s going on?”

“You might want to check your vault.” Nathalie gestured at the portrait of Emilie Agreste behind his desk, causing Gabriel’s eyes to widen. Wasting no time, Gabriel Agreste bypassed the image of his wife to open the safe concealed behind it. It was a cliched hiding place, but Gabriel had been given no reason to believe that anybody would be looking back here-

“It can’t be…” Gabriel spluttered, “What is  _ this!?” _

“Only the spellbook seems to be missing.” Nathalie attempted to placate her boss, but the man was far from comforted.

_ “Fantastic.” _ Gabriel said, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he closed the safe, “Intruders in the mansion… and they only took  _ one _ of the magical artifacts I’ve been entrusted with. Forgive me for not leaping with joy at the news.”

Gabriel reached underneath his tie, tapping the Butterfly Miraculous and considering a transformation. For perhaps the first time since its construction, he didn’t feel safe in his own office.

“There were no intruders.” Nathalie said, prompting an arched eyebrow, “Look.”

Although confused, Gabriel accepted a tablet from his assistant. His eyes narrowed, as he swiped through several photos Nathalie had taken from the office’s security camera. The images proved his assistant’s words accurate- there had been no intruders. The person responsible for taking the book was somebody that lived here already…

_ I’ve been more than flexible. I’ve allowed him to go to school, despite the danger, and this is how he repays me!? _

_ “Adrien.” _ Gabriel’s voice was cold, as he uttered the boy’s name. He set the tablet down on his desk as he shifted his gaze back to Nathalie, “He must’ve seen me open the portrait earlier… and then found a way into the safe- probably guessed the code. It’s his mother’s birthday, after all.” He silently cursed himself for choosing such an obvious password.

_ Bloody hell… if I don’t get that damned thing back soon- _

“Find Adrien.” Gabriel commanded, and began to pace anxiously, “Bring him to me. As long as we can get our hands on the grimoire again soon, there shouldn’t be any problems.” There  _ had _ to be consequences for all of this. Adrien had no idea what he was messing with- and no idea how much danger he’d placed his family in.

“Of course. I’ll call the school at once.” Nathalie nodded hastily, and quickly marched towards the office door, leaving Gabriel alone with his thoughts.

He stared at the portrait of his wife, still hanging behind his desk, and looked into the blonde woman’s eyes with a blank expression.  _ Your fault.  _ Gabriel was unable to stop his mind from wandering to a more accusatory place. He’d spent so long pursuing a singular goal- a goal that involved chasing another goal first. And if it wasn’t for Emilie-

_ Stop. _

Gabriel broke eye contact with the portrait, and activated his computer with a sigh. Now wasn’t the time to assign blame- that could come later. He just needed to wait for Nathalie to return, hopefully with Adrien in tow. With any luck, the grimoire would be back in that safe by nightfall, and things could simply continue as they were- the new normal, as much as the man detested it.

This was a life he had to accept. If he didn’t, then there would be hell to pay…

**********

Fortunately, Marinette’s bedroom was empty when Ladybug transformed back. Still rattled by the day’s events, she neglected to do her usual sweep of the room, and instead changed back into Marinette without so much as a glance below her trap door. The school day wasn’t over yet, but there was virtually no chance that Marinette would be returning to class. 

Not after what she’d just learned about one particular classmate…

Marinette sat at the edge of her bed, silent for a long moment as Tikki landed on her favorite pillow. The crimson colored kwami had a nervous expression as she perched, staring at Marinette as though unsure of what words she should use.

“He wasn’t supposed to do that.” Marinette lamented, latching on to the one thing that still made sense, “You told me- and I told him- that we had to keep our identities a secret.”

“It’s safer that way.” Tikki nodded, and still looked hesitant, “Marinette… are you-”

“Did you know?” The question wasn’t inherently abrasive, but Marinette was unable to keep the sharp edge out of her voice.

“That Adrien was Chat Noir?” Tikki asked, and Marinette nodded cooly,  _ “No. _ I didn’t know- nobody ever told me. I had my suspicions, but-”

“Suspicions you never shared with me.”

“Not my place.” Tikki said, and took off from her pillow, flying in front of Marinette’s face with a concerned expression, “As a kwami, I’m forbidden to share that kind of information with you, even if I had known. I can  _ never  _ disclose the identity of another Miraculous user, unless I’m given explicit permission by that wielder. I can’t even discuss my theories.”

It didn’t really make a difference, but Marinette still had to ask. Marinette felt- well, she wasn’t sure how she felt, but she didn’t like it. But as awkward as she felt to learn that the two handsome blond boys she knew were actually just one, more complex blond boy, it would’ve been even worse if Tikki had kept it hidden.

“You can’t discuss  _ any _ of it?” Marinette looked doubtful, “Meaning that if you ever learned Hawkmoth’s real name-”

“I wouldn’t be allowed to tell you.” Tikki shook her head, “Whether Hawkmoth himself told me his name, or I simply deduced myself, I’m  _ forbidden. _ I had quite a bit of reason to suspect Adrien, but I was literally  _ unable _ to share.”

Tikki remembered the first time she’d seriously considered that Adrien might be Chat Noir. It was on the day that Adrien had come over to practice with Marinette for their video game tournament, shortly after the two of them had begun playing together. There had been an unmistakable odor, as subtle as it was: camembert cheese. Too faint for Marinette or anybody else to notice, but Tikki had spent  _ many _ centuries in the company of her mythological equivalent.

That alone hadn’t been enough to blow Adrien’s cover, but it had certainly softened the blow when Chat Noir detransformed.

“I hope I didn’t upset him too much.” Marinette said, thinking back to how she’d reacted to his revelation.

_ “This isn’t happening… you’re not- you can’t be him!” _ Ladybug’s words had been hurtful, and Marinette cringed as she remembered them. Adrien stayed calm in the moment, but Marinette couldn’t help but worry- both as his lovestruck classmate, and as his superheroine partner. Marinette wasn’t sure if she was ready to talk it out with him just yet, and hadn’t even begun to  _ consider _ what she might say, but leaving things like this really wasn’t an option.

She looked around her bedroom, and couldn’t help but redden in embarrassment at the sight of Adrien- or rather,  _ Chat Noir’s _ face plastered everywhere. She’d been hopelessly obsessed with this boy, but felt like an idiot now. Marinette had gone so far as to declare that she ‘loved’ Adrien on more than one occasion. But if that was true, how could she have gone so long without noticing that he was right next to Ladybug the entire time?

_ How the hell did I miss this? _

“I’ve been so…  _ blind.”  _ Marinette removed a photo of Adrien from the side of her ladder, and gazed into his eyes. It was from a photoshoot last month, and the boy was grinning in a way that had made her heart  _ flutter _ when she first saw it. But now? She gazed into his emerald eyes, and could only see Chat Noir staring back at her. The hair was a little different, and the eyes were obviously a different shade of green, but Marinette was still dumbfounded.

“It’s not your fault.” Tikki said softly, and Marinette looked up to see her companion perched on the side of the bed, “The magic of the Miraculous protects your identities- at least to an extent.”

“What do you mean?” Marinette’s brow furrowed in confusion, and Tikki smiled sympathetically.

“Think about it like this.” Tikki flew over to Marinette’s desk, and tapped her chin thoughtfully, “Even if you’d studied that picture for an entire century, and put a picture of Chat next to it, you’d have  _ never _ figured out that they were one and the same.” Tikki waited, clearly giving Marinette time to consider her words.

“They look so similar…” Marinette mused, gazing back at the photograph in her hands, “Surely I’d have noticed eventually-”

“Not by looking.” Tikki shook her head, “And you wouldn’t be able to recognize his voice, either. They sound the same, but the magic prevents you from recognizing him. You could’ve ‘figured out’ that he’s Chat Noir some other way- if you’d seen him transform, or noticed that he knew something he shouldn’t- but physical appearance was never an option.”

Tikki’s words offered a bit of comfort, but Marinette still felt uncomfortable as she gently placed the photograph on her desk. Even if recognizing him would’ve been impossible, Marinette still should’ve been able to figure him out. Adrien and Chat Noir acted differently, to be sure, but she’d never seen them in the same place before. And on days like today, when they’d fought Volpina, it should’ve been obvious.

_ “Sorry I’m late.” _ Chat Noir had entered through Adrien’s window, while Ladybug was still battling Volpina, and moments after Adrien had retreated into his bathroom and shut the door,  _ “I had a bit of trouble… finding the place.” _

“So, what does this mean?” Marinette finally asked, breaking the silence between them, “He wasn’t supposed to tell me who he is… but he did.”

“I wish I knew.” Tikki shrugged helplessly, “It doesn’t mean  _ anything _ at the moment. Not when we have something else to discuss.”

“We do?”

Tikki took a deep breath, clearly choosing her words carefully, “Look, I know that things are still a bit…  _ weird, _ but we need to talk.” Marinette frowned, but remained silent, “Earlier, we took that book from Adrien-”

Marinette blinked, as the details came rushing back to her. Lila had been talking to Adrien earlier- much to Marinette’s disgust- and the two of them had been looking at a strange book that Adrien had brought with him. Lila had stolen it from Adrien, and Tikki had subsequently insisted that Marinette reclaim it from the trash can where Lila ended up leaving it. And while Marinette had agreed to help Tikki out, she still had no idea why this book was so important.

“We need to look at it.” Tikki insisted, and gestured at Marinette’s bag, “It’s still in there, isn’t it?”

“What’s so important about it?” Marinette demanded, but reached for the bag nonetheless, “Isn’t it kind of secondary to what just-” Marinette stopped, cut off when Tikki started  _ laughing. _

“Secondary? No, not even close.” Tikki was amused, “Marinette, I know somebody that’s been searching for this book since your grandparents were in diapers, and I  _ need _ to know if this is the real thing…”

**********

“Not quite the afternoon I’d expected.” Plagg chuckled to himself as he exited the ring, and Adrien simply ignored his kwami as he walked over to his school supplies. The battle with Volpina had started during his school’s lunch break, but had stretched into the afternoon classes that Adrien was currently missing. There was no time to argue with Plagg; Adrien couldn’t afford to be any later than he already was.

And besides, Adrien didn’t want to spend anymore time thinking about the conversation he’d just had with Ladybug. So instead of talking with his kwami, Adrien simply slung his school bag over his shoulder, and began walking towards the door-

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” Plagg sounded impatient, but his voice betrayed more concern than anger, “Where are you going?”

“Class hasn’t ended yet.” Adrien said simply, stopping in front of his door without opening it.

“Then take the rest of the day off.” Plagg said, “You’ve had enough tutors to stay ahead of all that stuff anyways. You’re upset, and I don’t think you should-”

“I’m not  _ upset.” _ Adrien protested, but grimaced as he realized that he didn’t even believe that. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting when he changed back, but Ladybug’s reaction wasn’t it. She hadn’t scolded him for revealing himself, or even revealed her own identity in return. Instead, Ladybug had basically  _ panicked, _ although upset that Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir were one and the same.

“Why did you do it?” Plagg asked, and Adrien genuinely considered his answer.

Adrien knew why he’d done it. It wasn’ the logical thing to do- he could’ve stalled Ladybug with more excuses to protect his identity- it was because he’d  _ wanted _ to. He wanted to know why the girl he loved had reacted so strongly to the image of his civilian self in danger (something he still hadn’t figured out). He wanted to stop  _ lying _ to her, and stop her from thinking that he was some kind of heartless bastard for calling out Volpina’s illusion. But above all else…

_ I’m tired of the lies. _

Plagg sighed, and floated around anxiously, “Damn it… I’ve never been good at this stuff. Adrien, I really think we need to talk about what happened.”

“What is there to talk about?”

Plagg bit back an insult, and forced himself to stay calm, “Adrien, you just revealed your secret identity to Ladybug!”

“What was I supposed to say?” Adrien demanded, louder than he’d been planning, “Plagg… it had gone on for too long. She  _ freaked _ when Volpina pulled that illusion out, and started accusing me of not caring about an innocent civilian.” Adrien sighed, slumping against the wall next to his door.

“I get that you were upset, Adrien.” Plagg tried to be diplomatic, “But one of the first things I told you when we met was that  _ nobody _ else is allowed to know Chat Noir’s-”

“Ladybug is my  _ partner.” _ Adrien interrupted, “She’s not Hawkmoth, and she’s not just some random person off the street. She’s on my side, Plagg!” He shook his head, “Look, I know that I wasn’t supposed to do that. I’m sorry that I disobeyed you, but you’ve gotta understand-”

“Adrien?” Plagg was forced to hide, as the bedroom door opened without warning.

“Nathalie?” His father’s assistant stood at the doorway, and regarded Adrien with a far more hostile expression than he was used to, “Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now? I tried calling the school, and they said you haven’t been seen since your lunch break.”

Nathalie was usually a very composed woman, and Adrien found his eyes widening as he realized that she was downright  _ pissed. _ Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was tapping her left foot impatiently as she waited for his response. Adrien had known her for years- since he was about five, if he remembered correctly- and the only time she came even  _ close _ to this upset was the time he snuck out for school the first time.

“Well, I was just-” Adrien blinked, his mind scrambling to think of a proper excuse, “Volpina- the akuma villain- she was in my room. I hid in the bathroom, and I was about to-”

“Unimportant.” Nathalie snapped, and pinched the bridge of her nose, “Just… go see your father.  _ Now.  _ And be prepared to explain your actions today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Give Me Five Minutes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tikki brings Marinette to meet a very important person, while Adrien meets up with an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your comments! It'll probably be another week or so until I get the next chapter posted, so I really hope you enjoy this one!

“Why did you take the book?” Gabriel Agreste’s voice was cold and unwelcoming, but it was the only sound worthy of note in the man’s pale office.

“I just- I wanted to know what you were hiding, back there.” Adrien admitted quietly, and his father’s eyes narrowed, “Behind the portrait of Mom… I thought-”

_You’ve really gotten me in trouble this time, haven’t you Plagg?_

“So instead of approaching me, and _asking_ about what you saw, you decided it would be a good idea to _steal.”_ Gabriel’s hand moved- now clenched into a fist, “Of all the most _rudimentary_ things I’d have expected you to understand by now… thievery- from your own father, no less- is a level of delinquency _far_ beneath you, Adrien.”

Gabriel hadn’t raised his voice, or moved against his son physically, but Adrien’s eyes widened nonetheless. His father was practically shaking with rage, to the point that part of Adrien’s mind told him that he should be running right now. He’d never felt _unsafe_ in the presence of his father before, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“You have no _idea_ what you’ve done.” His father began to pace back and forth, in front of the chair that Adrien was currently sitting in, “That book is one of a kind, and you’re telling me you’ve _lost it!?”_ Gabriel slammed a fist on his desk, causing both Adrien and Natahlie’s eyes to widen.

“Sir, I really think-” Nathalie attempted to intervene, but Adrien’s father held up a hand, prompting immediate silence from the assistant.

_“Adrien.”_ Gabriel took a deep, calming breath, “I will not stand for this. Not today, or any other day. You will find that book, and you will find it _today.”_ Adrien flinched, as his father towered over him, “If you fail to bring me what is rightfully mine by the end of the day-” He tilted his head, an almost _malicious_ glint in his eyes, “-then I will remove you from that school you seem to love so much.”

“Wait- Father, you can’t!” Adrien was immediately desperate, frantically looking around the office as though there was something here that could save him. “I’ll do anything!”

“Fantastic.” Gabriel said flatly, as he moved back behind his desk again, “So long as ‘anything’ includes finding my book, I’ll be more than happy to restore your privileges. Are we clear?”

Apparently Gabriel Agreste paid better attention to his son than Adrien gave him credit for. Despite the various luxuries that his father had granted him throughout his life, revoking Adrien’s right to go to school and interact with his friends was the only thing that could _break_ him like this.

_He knows me better than I thought._

Adrien was left with no rebuttal, and could only nod timidly in response to his father’s demands. 

A rare audience with his father was over, leaving Adrien with little choice except to follow Nathalie as she escorted him back to his room in defeat. And as soon as the door was shut, Adrien lost what little composure he had left and began to physically _shake_ as he took an uneasy seat at the edge of his bed.

He wasn’t sure how he felt- Angry? Fearful? Ashamed? Probably all of those, each in their own way.

“What a _dick.”_ Plagg emerged from Adrien’s jacket, _hissing_ at the door in defiance before turning his attention back to his wielder. Plagg had never liked Adrien’s father- he was always so cold, and _extremely_ calculated, even with his own son. “Adrien… are you okay?” The boy looked _rattled,_ and Plagg wasn’t quite sure what to do.

“Y-Yeah, I should be.” Adrien took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heartbeat. He rarely got along with his father, but this was a whole new level… Gabriel Agreste, despite his impatience, very rarely yelled at anybody. Seeing him pound his fist like that was even stranger. It was like he didn’t know that man inside of his father’s office anymore… or maybe he never had?

It was the second major blow of the day, and Adrien found himself growing more and more anxious as a result. First, he’d revealed his identity to Ladybug, and now _this?_ Adrien took another deep breath. He needed to find that book, and _fast._

“You don’t sound okay.” Plagg sounded anxious, “Come on! Let’s transform or something. Maybe we can wreck Mr. Designer’s office…”

“We’re not destroying my dad’s stuff. And since when did you like transforming?”

“Since I decided it could help you sort out family-related trauma.” Plagg said, his voice making it ambiguous as to whether or not he was kidding.

Adrien shook his head, “Trauma is a bit of a strong word, don’t you think?” Plagg didn’t think, but he was willing to move on for the moment, “He’s overreacting, but I did actually lose his book. I don’t know _how_ I lost it, since I only had it out in the school library, and nobody else knows-” Adrien frowned, as he mentally reviewed the day’s events.

“He still shouldn’t act like that.” Plagg still looked like he wanted to fight Adrien’s father, but the boy wasn’t listening anymore, “I genuinely wonder how that man found an actual woman that was willing to have a kid with him… don’t get me wrong! I’m happy he did, I just don’t know-” Plagg blinked, when he realized that Adrien hadn’t given so much as a nasty look, “Adrien, are you even listening to me?”

Adrien wasn’t listening.

_The school library was the only place I had the book outside of my bag… but I’m not the only person that knows about it._

One other person had seen the book. One extremely _dishonest_ person.

“Plagg?” Adrien turned to his kwami, “Get in the bag. We need to make a stop back at the school. Hopefully Lila’s still there…”

**********

The book seemed _way_ older than Marinette had decided on her first glance, and she quickly realized that it was written in a language that she didn’t recognize. It wasn’t Mandarin… perhaps one of the other East Asian languages? Marinette knew even less about those.

But as weird as the language was, Marinette found herself more distracted by other details, such as the artwork contained on each page. 

There were countless drawings of various people, in differing costumes. They looked like… ancient warriors, and the emblem of a different animal was present on each page. Marinette was about to ask Tikki why this book was so important, when a particular page caught her attention.

“Wait.” Marinette blinked, as she stared a red and black spotted woman, “This is-”

“-one of my old wielders.” Tikki’s voice was wistful, “Lijuan was her name.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. Tikki had explained many months ago that Marinette wasn’t the first person to use her earrings… but she’d been very scant on details.

“I thought you couldn’t tell me people’s identities?” Marinette arched a skeptical eyebrow, but Tikki didn’t even blink.

“It doesn’t apply to the dead.” Tikki said softly, and stared at the page with something resembling nostalgia. And for a long moment, Marinette couldn’t help but feel like she shouldn’t be here- like she was intruding on a sacred moment for her kwami. This girl- _Lijuan-_ was somebody that must’ve mattered to Tikki, and Marinette had never been a part of their relationship.

“These people are all Miraculous users… aren’t they?” Marinette asked, partly just to change the subject, and Tikki simply nodded in response.

In the months after finding Tikki in her room, Marinette had wondered just how many Miraculous were out there. Chat Noir clearly had one that was just like hers, and Tikki had been quick to explain that Hawkmoth was using one as well, albeit for evil purposes. Marinette had suspected that there were probably at least a few more, but it was jarring to see just how large that number was. Several pages in this book were devoted to each user, but there still had to be at least-

“There were hundreds at one point.” Tikki said softly, and smiled at the way Marinette’s eyes lit up with wonder, “Not anymore though- most of them were lost a couple centuries ago…”

_“Hundreds?”_ Marinette was still trying to wrap her head around that, “You mean to tell me that there was a small _army’s_ worth of superheroes at one point, all with their own kwamis?” Marinette shook her head, struggling to believe in such a thing, “That’s-”

“-the stuff of legends?” Tikki giggled, “It really was, Marinette, and humans took note of it. From what I’ve seen, a lot of the stories have lived on. Sure, some details have been lost in translation over the years, but not all of it.”

“Like that papyrus we saw at the Louvre…” Marinette mused, remembering the ancient Egyptian Ladybug she had seen. She couldn’t hold back a wry smile, “I think Alya’s head might explode if she was here right now.”

"That girl is _way_ too curious for her own good." Tikki shook her head, “I think it’s time to go see the guardian… we’ve waited long enough.”

“The _what-now?”_

“The guardian of the Miraculous.” Tikki said, and fixed her wielder with a very serious expression, “Marinette… I’m about to introduce you to the man that picked you as my wielder.”

**********

The school day had just come to a close, and Chloe Bourgeois couldn’t have been happier to see it go. Not only was it as boring as usual- Chloe could’ve sworn the clock was moving backwards- but the only people she actually _liked_ seeing were nowhere to be found. Adrien had left after the lunch break without explanation, Sabrina had fallen ill, and- _well,_ Chloe supposed that was about it, actually.

Even the “new girl” from Italy that everybody was chattering about seemed to have vanished. She’d only been given reason to dislike her so far: apparently she’d been all over Adrien from the moment she arrived- a damn near unforgivable sin in the cult of Chloe. But the blonde girl wasn’t one to enter a conversation with negative preconceived notions. Chloe wanted to decide for herself whether or not this alleged “friend of Ladybug’s” was worth keeping around, or if she was just another waste of air in this miserable institution.

Chloe continued to mull over the possibilities, and was about to exit the school’s front door through the courtyard, when she very nearly bumped into somebody-

“Do you _mind?”_ Chloe growled, as the person brushed past her, “Just who do you- _oh,_ Adrikins!”

“Chloe?” He turned back around, surprised by the sight of his childhood friend. Adrien had been in a hurry, and thought that the school day was already over. He hadn’t been expecting to run into anybody he knew, least of all Chloe, “What are you still doing here?”

“I know it’s shocking, but I actually go here every day.” Chloe gestured at the building in disdain, “Unbecoming, isn’t it? I really ought to-”

“Never mind that.” Adrien glanced at his phone, “Looks like it’s not as late as I thought…”

“I should ask what _you’re_ doing here.” Chloe didn’t like how distracted Adrien seemed to be, “You went and vanished _hours_ ago without so much as a word of warning. And now you’re back… because, reasons?”

“I’m looking for somebody.” Adrien said, and tilted his head. Maybe Chloe could help him, “There’s a new girl- Lila Rossi. Have you seen her?”

“And _what_ exactly do you want from her?” Chloe arched a skeptical eyebrow.

“Nothing good, if that’s what you’re asking.” Adrien had a look on his face that Chloe didn’t recognize. He was still keeping his emotions under control, but there was clearly something brewing right under the surface.

If Chloe didn’t know better, she’d say that Adrien looked… _angry._

_Interesting._

“I take it we don’t like this… _Lila?”_ Chloe asked, and couldn’t hold back a smile as Adrien immediately nodded in agreement. They’d known each other for long enough that Chloe’s support for this boy was basically unconditional, but it sounded like his current mission was something Chloe did best anyway- being _nasty_ to somebody.

“Do you know where she is?”

“No, but give me five minutes.” Chloe grinned, and marched towards the principal’s office. Mr. Damocles was almost _certainly_ forbidden from giving our students’ personal information, but Chloe doubted it would take much ‘persuasion’ for Lila’s address to be revealed. After all, Chloe’s father was only one call away.

Adrien waited outside the principal’s office, shifting anxiously as Chloe threw open the door, “Wait here, Adrikins!” and strode inside arrogantly. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Chloe using such _direct_ tactics (actually, he was sure: he didn’t like it), but he needed to find that book. And at the moment, Lila was his only lead.

A bit of yelling from inside the office caught Adrien’s attention- “Do you _know_ how easily my daddy could fire you!?” Adrien winced, remembering the _many_ times Chloe had used that particular line on him personally, on the rare occasions that they would argue as children. And while Adrien was now old enough to understand that he wasn’t an employee of Chloe’s father- and consequently couldn’t be fired by him- it had been enough to strike fear into his seven-year old heart.

_Have I ever won an argument with Chloe?_

“That should do it.” Chloe emerged from the office, a smug look on her face, “Hook, line, and sinker- here’s the goods!” She handed Adrien a folder.

“Chloe… this is-” He blinked, “-Lila’s permanent record!”

“You needed her address?” Chloe smirked, folding her arms triumphantly, “Well, here’s her full name, address, phone number-”

“Chloe, this is wrong.” Adrien scolded, but his friend only shrugged in response. He sighed, grumbling to himself, but realized that there was no real alternative as he opened the folder and took a peek. His father had given him the rest of the day to find the book, and that was it. He couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

There wasn’t really that much to look at inside of Lila’s record. She was a “B” student, had a completely empty disciplinary record, shifted schools a lot, and her mother was the only listed guardian. Adrien sighed privately, realizing that Lila’s claims about her personal achievements were likely just as fraudulent as her “friendship with Ladybug.”

“There she is!” Adrien exclaimed, upon spotting her address.

_I know that street…_

“Ugh.” Chloe groaned, “Isn’t that near Dupain-Cheng and their _infested_ bakery?”

“Their bakery is actually quite nice.” Adrien corrected, “-But yes, that’s the street. Thanks Chloe! I better get going-” He turned to leave, but Chloe put a hand on his shoulder, “Chloe?”

“You didn’t really think I’d let you go alone?” Chloe arched an eyebrow, and Adrien didn’t really have a response.

_No. I have definitely never won an argument with Chloe..._

**********

“Hello, Ladybug.”

Marinette stared at the man, careful to keep her expression as neutral as possible. There was to be not doubt: this was the man Tikki had been talking about. She reflexively _flinched,_ as anybody knowing her secret identity was a cause for concern, but she had to admit that it was a good way for this ‘guardian’ to make himself known. He was a short, elderly asian man- wearing a Hawaiian shirt, of all things.

_I’ve seen this man before… but where?_

“I’m sorry, master!” Tikki flew straight out of Marinette’s pocket, and towards the mysterious man, “I know you didn’t want me bringing her here, but I swear there’s a _really_ good reason for it.”

“In a moment, Tikki.” The guardian raised a hand to quiet the kwami, but his voice retained a soft quality despite issuing a command. He rose to his feet, and walked over to Marinette, a curious expression on his face, “You must forgive me for all of the secrecy… I am Master Wang Fu, the guardian of the Miraculous.”

They were currently standing in an apartment, roughly three blocks from Marinette’s house. Upon leaving the bakery, Marinette had expected Tikki to direct her… well, she didn’t really know _where,_ but she’d expected it to be further than this. Learning that the man responsible for her double life as Ladybug lived a mere five minutes on foot from her house was a bit startling, in all honesty. Marinette had always considered the Miraculous to be something _distant._

And while this apartment wasn’t exactly ‘normal,’ it was still far more innocuous than Marinette would’ve ever guessed. There were matts laid out… for yoga, perhaps? There were a few items one might expect an older person to own, such as a _gramophone,_ but beyond that… virtually nothing of note. Marinette had visited her mother’s family on a couple of occasions, and this apartment wouldn’t have been out of place where they lived.

“My name’s Marinette… but I think you already know that?” Marinette was hesitant as she shook his hand, and the guardian- _Master Fu-_ let out a soft chuckle.

“Indeed I do.” Fu said, still smiling, “You might even remember the time we first met.” He gestured towards a cane, leaning against the wall next to his front door.

_Of course!_

On the day Marinette had found her earrings, there had been an incident in front of the bakery while she rushed to school. An old man was stuck in the crosswalk- unable to see that a car was rushing straight towards him. Marinette, in spite of her tardiness, hadn’t hesitated to rush out and escort him to safety. It had been a scary moment, but Marinette hadn’t been given much time to think it over- not after all of the other exciting things that happened on that _particular_ day.

“That day on the crosswalk… it was a test, wasn’t it?” Marinette asked, and the master nodded.

“A test you passed with flying colors!” A new voice startled Marinette, but neither Tikki nor the master seemed bothered. Something small and _green_ flew out from behind Fu’s back, “Greetings! I’m Wayzz- Master Fu’s kwami!” Marinette was taken aback.

The kwami was waiting for a response, “Um, hi. I’m Marinette.” She extended her finger, and Wayzz eagerly shook it.

This kwami was a _turtle,_ and Marinette remembered seeing a turtle-themed Miraculous hero in the book she was currently holding. It had been a large, burly man with a massive green shield, nothing like the short old man that stood before her. But if Wayzz was indeed the master’s kwami, that meant-

“You have a Miraculous?” Marinette asked, but it wasn’t really a question.

“The Miraculous of the turtle- it stands for protection.” Master Fu said, and raised his wrist to reveal a small bracelet. There was a certain _sadness_ in his eyes as he continued, “It’s been _many_ years since I’ve used Wayzz’s power in battle… and I doubt that it’ll ever happen again. Living this long certainly comes with its drawbacks.”

_How old are you, exactly?_ Marinette wanted to ask him, but figured it would probably be rude.

“But I think that’s enough about me- at least for the time being.” The master’s eyes lit up, and he gestured at the book Marinette was clutching to her chest, “I only granted Tikki permission to bring you here under very… _specific_ circumstances. And if I’m guessing correctly, that book you’re holding has something to do with it.”

“It does!” Tikki answered before Marinette could, “Master, we found the Miraculous spellbook! After all these years… it’s _finally_ back where it should be!”

“May I see it?” The master asked, and Marinette handed it over with only a moment’s hesitation. She supposed that if Tikki trusted this man- which she clearly did- then she had no real reason to be suspicious. He knew her secret identity anyway, and it wasn’t like Marinette needed the book for anything in particular.

“...Incredible.” The master began to look it over, his eyes widening slightly as he realized that it was the real thing, “Marinette, Tikki… this is-” He paused, and fixed them with a serious expression, “Where did you find this?”

It had only been this morning, but it felt like _years_ ago. It was a simpler time, when Marinette hadn’t known that her partner and crush were one and the same.

“This morning, in the school library, I-” Marinette blinked, as she realized _exactly_ who had the book when she arrived.

“Yes?” The master blinked, “You don’t mean to tell me... it was on the shelf!?”

_Adrien had the book._

“No.” Marinette shook her head, frowning as she considered the repercussions, “It was _Adrien_ that had the book… why would he have it?” It was weird enough that Adrien would have an ancient spellbook detailing the various Miraculous and their powers, but Adrien wasn’t just a civilian…

_Chat Noir had the book._

“Adrien… Agreste?” Master Fu blinked, and Marinette knew why.

“I know he’s Chat Noir.” Marinette said flatly, and the master’s eyes widened.


	4. Friends of Lila

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not saying Adrien Agreste is Hawkmoth.” Master Fu raised his palms in surrender, “But we must treat this seriously. Even if Adrien is completely innocent-”
> 
> “Which he is.”
> 
> “-we still have to find out where he got that book.” Fu paused,“There’s a real chance that Adrien acquired the grimoire from Hawmkoth’s civilian identity… or at least someone close to him. We have to figure out what happened..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> QOTD: Should I post the chapters immediately after I finish them, or would you rather I stagger them to keep a more regular posting schedule?

“Oh look- a _dump.”_ Chloe’s expression was filled with disgust as her and Adrien approached the apartment building where Lila lived, “Color me surprised…”

“It says she lives in Room 308.” Adrien mused, glancing at Lila’s file one last time before storing it in his school bag. He spared Chloe a look, “Let’s go ahead and _not_ spend the entire time ragging on this place. It’s not a dump, and even if it was that’s _really_ not necessary.” Chloe scoffed, but thankfully decided to let this one slide.

Adrien shook his head, unsure if there was any way he could get the truth out of Lila without some kind of argument. It would be especially hard with Chloe at his side.

_If she really stole my father’s book, then maybe that’s not such a bad thing…_

Adrien stopped himself from continuing down that train of thought, “Alright then, let’s get to it.”

“You’re telling me she stole something from you, right? A book?” Chloe asked, after they walked through an empty lobby and into an elevator, “And if you don’t get it back… no more school?” He’d filled Chloe in on the details as they’d walked, and the blonde girl couldn’t _believe_ that somebody would have the audacity to steal something from Adrien.

_Lila…_

Adrien shook his head. His entire morning had been wasted on a wild goose chase- one that Lila was responsible for. Her lies were fairly obvious in retrospect, but Adrien had been given no reason to distrust the new girl at school. She had claimed to know countless celebrities, be friends with Ladybug, and even gone so far as to suggest she had a Miraculous of her own. She was a liar, through and through.

And now, Lila was his only lead in finding his father’s book. She was the only one besides him that knew about it, and the library was the last place he’d seen it. Adrien hated jumping to conclusions, or thinking the worst of people, but…

“I don’t _know_ that Lila stole it, but she is the prime suspect.” Adrien shivered, “And _yeah,_ Father made it pretty clear that if I didn’t get the book back today, my time in school is over.”

“Uncle Gabe always did have a stick up his ass.” Chloe muttered, and Adrien felt something move in his pocket- Plagg had _laughed._

“He means well.” Adrien said tightly, not wanting to discuss it. He wasn’t in a position to argue with Chloe’s claim- after all, his father was the harshest person he knew- but he couldn’t just dismiss him out of hand. He did care about Adrien in his own way, even if it was hard to tell from an outsider’s perspective. Adrien _definitely_ cared about him. After losing his mother, his father was the only family he had left.

“Sometimes, meaning well isn’t enough.” Chloe muttered, and Adrien bit back a retort. After all, fighting with Chloe wasn’t going to accomplish anything.

Fortunately, their conversation was cut short when the elevator arrived on the third floor. Both of the blonde teens stepped out, and Adrien began scanning the wall for a plaque marking Room 308. Adrien still had no idea why Chloe had called this place a ‘dump.’ It wasn’t trashy by any stretch; just dated. The rooms appeared to be fairly small, but well-maintained, and Adrien privately theorized that the complex was meant for senior living.

“Let me see her picture again.” Chloe snatched Lila’s file out of Adrien’s bag before he could stop her, “Hm… I might’ve caught a glance at her this morning. Room 308?”

“That’s the one.” Adrien affirmed, and blinked at the room numbers, “I’m confused- the numbers seem to be skipping…”

“Odd numbers on one side, even on the other.” Chloe stared at him like he was an idiot, but quickly broke into a smug smile, “You really are sheltered, aren’t you?”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Here it is… Room 308.” From the outside, it looked just like the other apartments. Adrien took a deep breath, and shared one last look with Chloe before knocking. He had no idea what he was going to say when that door opened, or who was going to open it. Hopefully it was Lila herself, and not a family member.

Things were moving far more quickly than Adrien would’ve expected. Here he was, showing up at somebody’s home uninvited with _Chloe,_ because his father had threatened to pull him out of school if he didn’t. And if that wasn’t enough on its own, Adrien still needed time to mull over revealing himself to Ladybug.

_“I guess we can talk later?”_ Ladybug had been anxious to end their conversation, but had theoretically offered to continue it at a later time. Even if she didn’t- they were bound to cross paths again next time Hawkmoth akumatized somebody.

“This is utterly _ridiculous.”_ Chloe muttered, when they were greeted with silence, “Maybe, if I make the right calls, my daddy could get the police to-” Adrien was about to interrupt, and tell Chloe that they were _not_ using armed forces to resolve a high school dispute, when the door swung open.

“Can I help you?” A brown-haired woman looked between the two blondes, a curious expression on her face. She seemed slightly guarded, as one always was when they got uninvited guests, but not at all unfriendly. Adrien assumed that this was Lila’s mother- if they had the right place.

“Yes, actually.” Adrien said, putting on a friendly voice of his own, “We’re looking for Lila Rossi… does she live here?”

The woman nodded, and her eyes seemed to light up, “Are you friends of Lila?”

“Well, Lila just started going to our school today.” Adrien explained, before Chloe could derail the conversation with a snide remark, “We talked a bit earlier, but things got cut short-”

“Just let them in.” Any remaining doubts that Adrien or Chloe might’ve had were immediately dispelled. Standing behind this woman- Lila’s mother, presumably- was Lila herself.

**********

“I see…” Master Fu said, concern written all over his features. He folded his arms, bowing his head slightly, clearly considering Marientte’s words very seriously.

Marinette had told him basically everything. She explained how this entire day had gone from nothing out of the ordinary to learning Chat Noir’s identity, and how Tikki had spotted Adrien reading this book earlier in the library. Lila had of course stolen it from him, only for Tikki to snatch it from the trash can that Lila subsequently left it in.

And as she told her story, Marinette couldn’t help but wonder what Adrien was up to now. He’d probably gone home after revealing himself at the Eiffel Tower, and was hopefully still there now. Was he mad at her? Did he regret telling her the truth? Now that Marinette knew her partner’s real name, she found herself agonizing over what she thought of him even _more._ Everything had been called into question when he announced his true name, but Marinette’s obsession with Adrien wasn’t something she could just drop at a moment’s notice-

_Now is not the time._

Marinette shook her head. She couldn’t afford to waste time agonizing over something that was- and she hated to admit it- relatively minor in comparison. She was currently in an audience with the man that had _chosen her as Ladybug._

“Marinette.” Master Fu’s voice was solemn, “I have already placed my full trust in you by picking you as Ladybug, but I still must emphasize: what I am about to say _must_ remain between us.”

“...Okay?” Marinette agreed, not sure who else he was referring to.

The master nodded, smiling softly. He climbed to his feet, and began walking towards the gramophone Marinette had noticed upon entering, “When I was much younger- not even your age, actually- I made a mistake.” He began pressing buttons on the front of the record player, “And it is solely because of that mistake that I am the only remaining Guardian of the Miraculous. It is a task- a _duty-_ that I have been admittedly ill-equipped to handle.”

“A mistake?” Marinette tilted her head curiously, but Tikki shot her a look. Clearly Marinette wasn’t meant to press the issue, “What exactly _is_ a guardian-” She paused, however, when the top of the record player began to move.

“A Guardian of the Miraculous-” Master Fu chuckled, as Marinette’s eyes widened, “-is really just what the name says.” He removed a massive black box from the gramophone, and it was covered in red symbols. And while this alone might’ve been enough to spark Marinette’s curiosity- Marinette recognized this box, even though hers was much smaller, “We were tasked with keeping the Miraculous safe.”

“That’s the box!” Marinette said, rising back to her feet, “The one that my earrings came in…”

“Behold, the Miracle Box.” Master Fu’s voice was reverent, as he set the box down on a small table near the gramophone, “Come, take a look…”

The box was octagonal, like Marinette’s, and a hinge on one of its sides was how it opened. Master Fu lifted the top, revealing an inside littered with different colors- five slots on the outside were orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The orange and yellow slots both contained small pieces of jewelry- a necklace and comb respectively- while the other three were all empty, containing only small symbols denoting what was likely supposed to be there.

In the middle of those five on the outside was a small yin and yang symbol, with one slot on each side. The white slot contained a small paw print symbol, and the black one contained the pattern Ladybug had on her yoyo. 

“These are the Miraculous…” Marinette was dumbfounded, “My earrings, and Adrien’s ring… they were kept in here, weren’t they?” 

If the other Miraculous were _anything_ like the ones she had experience with, then this box contained unspeakable power, even if there were only two left. She recognized the necklace- Lila’s akumatized object had been a near perfect replica. That meant the orange necklace was almost certainly the Fox Miraculous, and the comb was _obviously_ supposed to symbolize a bee- or maybe a wasp? The green one had to be the turtle- it was on Fu’s wrist right now, but where were the other two?

“This box is meant to contain the seven Miraculous my temple preserved.” Fu explained, “This includes the Ladybug and Black Cat, the Bee, the Fox, the Turtle, the Peacock-” Master Fu took a deep breath, “-and the Butterfly.”

“The Butterfly?” Marinette arched an eyebrow, “You don’t mean-”

_“Hawkmoth.”_ Fu’s voice was dark now, and the two kwamis shared an anxious look of their own.

_Hawkmoth._ The man behind it all. Ladybug and Chat Noir had never met him in person, but they had spoken to him on the day Fu gave them their Miraculous. Hawkmoth had threatened them- threatened the city- and made it clear that he would go to any lengths to get his hands on her earrings and Adrien’s ring. And while Marinette thought of him as a coward for never fighting his own battles, he was still a daunting foe.

“All those years ago, when the temple was destroyed, we- or rather _I-_ lost the Butterfly.” Fu’s voice was filled with _regret,_ and his words seemed to age him as he spoke, “And not just the Butterfly Miraculous. The Peacock was taken that day as well, and so was the Miraculous spellbook.” He nodded at the book, which he’d left on the table next to the Miracle Box.

The master let that sit for a moment, studying Marinette’s reaction. She didn’t seem to understand what he was implying- what he was trying to tell her diplomatically.

“I have _always_ believed that the person who had this spellbook-” Master Fu tapped the book anxiously, “-must also control both the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous.” 

_“Wait.”_ Marinette’s jaw dropped, “You’re not suggesting that Adrien-” She couldn’t even complete the thought. It was just too ridiculous, “He’s Chat Noir! It’s _literally_ impossible for him to be Hawkmoth!”

“We don’t know what is going on, just yet.” Master Fu tried to reason with her, “The Miraculous spellbook-”

“I don’t _care.”_ Marinette snapped, prompting horrified gasps from Tikki and Wayzz, “Chat Noir or Adrien or _whatever_ we wanna call him- he’s my friend! He’s not Hawkmoth.”

“Marinette!” Tikki’s voice was scolding, but the girl ignored her.

Marinette’s image of both Adrien and Chat Noir had been completely shattered today. Marinette didn’t know which side of Adrien / Chat was his ‘real’ self, she had no idea how she felt about _either_ of them, and she _definitely_ didn’t know what she was going to do about him revealing himself to her.

But it would take _way_ more than this to make her question her partner’s _loyalty._ Chat Noir had risked his life to save Ladybug’s. Chat Noir had been the one to pick her up when she doubted herself on her first day. Chat Noir had _stopped her from removing her earrings earlier!_

“I’m not saying Adrien Agreste is Hawkmoth.” Master Fu raised his palms in surrender, “But we _must_ treat this seriously. Even if Adrien is completely innocent-”

“Which he _is.”_

“-we still have to find out where he got that book.” Fu paused,“There’s a real chance that Adrien acquired the grimoire from Hawmkoth’s civilian identity… or at least someone close to him. We have to figure out what happened, and how he acquired the grimoire.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Marinette demanded, not convinced that this man _really_ believed in her partner’s innocence, “Do you want me to bring him here?”

“Absolutely not.” Master Fu immediately shook his head, “The risk would be too great.”

“In other words: you don’t trust him.”

“That’s not fair!” Tikki interceded on the master’s behalf, floating between Marinette and Fu to mediate, “Marinette, think about it- we’re not saying Adrien’s guilty of anything, but if he got that book from Hawkmoth…” Tikki shook her head, “There’s a real chance that Hawkmoth is watching him, and trying to get it back!”

“Tikki’s right.” As if two against one wasn’t enough, Wayzz floated to Tikki’s side, “Your concern for your partner is admirable, but we must use our heads here.”

Master Fu and the kwamis all had identical expressions of concern. The message they were sending was simple: _Marinette_ was the unreasonable one here. After everything that Chat Noir had done for this city- for _them-_ trusting him was somehow a bad idea. It was _ridiculous,_ and stupidly unfair to Adrien. So ridiculous and unfair that Marinette wanted to lash out, and start yelling, but she bit her tongue.

“What do you want me to do?” Marinette asked, gritting her teeth a bit. The master and Tikki shared a look.

“Go to your partner.” Master Fu commanded, “Find out where he got the book- and what he might have stumbled into.”

“Make sure you don’t tell him about the guardian.” Wayzz added, and Marinette balked, “Don’t tell him about this place, either. Until we can evaluate the potential threat, things must be kept secret.”

_Things must be kept secret?_ Marinette couldn’t believe her ears. It was bad enough that it had taken Fu this long to reveal himself to her, but he couldn’t seriously be planning on revealing himself to _only_ her!

“You’re _kidding_ me.” Marinette stared at them like they had just ordered her to commit a war crime, “I can’t keep this a secret from him! The two of us have wondered for _months_ where our Miraculous came from, and what they even _are!”_ She shook her head, looking at Tikki desperately, “Tikki, you tell them! This is completely unfair.”

The kwami was torn. Marinette had a point, and Tikki _hated_ to see her this upset, “Master… maybe we can find some middle ground?”

“Not while the risk is this great.” Fu shook his head, but looked sympathetic, “Marinette… I know that this seems unfair. Unreasonable, even. But you must understand how serious the threat of Hawkmoth is.” Master Fu took a deep breath, and Marinette saw something resembling _fear_ in his eyes, “On the day the temple was destroyed, a dark power drew near. Something _far_ more powerful than I.” The master shivered at the memory, “It pursued me as I fled, nearly caught me more than once. I was lucky to escape with this many of the Miraculous.”

“That was hundreds of years ago, wasn’t it?” Marinette challenged, but had to admit that the master’s words- or more specifically his _fear_ as he said them- was making her second guess, “Why are you so sure-”

“I’m not _sure.”_ The master was getting angry, “I’m not even sure that this ‘Hawkmoth’ is that same being that pursued me. But even if he’s not, then where did he get his power?” Master Fu shook his head, “If that being is near Adrien- or gods forbid it has him in its grasp- then we cannot afford to risk the safety of the Miraculous.”

**********

“Oh, come right on in then.” The woman stepped away from the door, beckoning Adrien and Chloe to enter with an apologetic expression. Chloe arched an eyebrow, and Adrien could only shrug as the two of them walked through the door, “I’m sorry about the mess- let me know if you guys need anything!”

“Sounds good.” Lila nodded, and the woman quickly left the three teenagers alone.

On some level, Lila was embarrassed that they were seeing the apartment in this state- it was clearly a work in progress. There were still unopened boxes stacked all around the entrance, as they had only arrived in Paris several days ago. The couch wasn’t assembled all of the way just yet, and their ‘dinner table’ was currently just a folding table with two chairs tucked in the corner. It wasn’t much to look at, and it _definitely_ didn’t support the stories she’d told at school today.

“You must be _Lila.”_ Chloe regarded the Italian girl with disdain, as soon as the three of them were alone.

_Curious._

Lila regarded the newcomers with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. After the way things had turned out with Adrien earlier, she had assumed that he would want nothing to do with her. Adrien had made it painfully obvious from their first conversation that he was a huge fan of Ladybug’s, and there was no way he was going to ignore Ladybug swooping in to discredit her.

Yet here he was- with a friend.

“You must be Chloe Bourgeois.” Lila ignored the blonde girl’s hostility, and offered to shake her hand, “The mayor’s daughter- right? I’ve heard so many things about you!” Chloe was thoroughly blindsided, but accepted Lila’s hand reflexively, “And Adrien! Only a few hours since we last met, but still too long…”

Adrien didn’t even blink, regarding her cooly. Lila arched an eyebrow- she hadn’t pegged him as the combative type. Earlier, when she’d approached him in the library, he’d been rather meek- gullible, too. He’d believed her lies without question, and seemed _shocked_ when Ladybug called her out. It was as though Adrien the supermodel had actually been naive enough to think that the new girl wanted to talk to him about _superheroes._

But that naivete seemed to be gone now, “Lila, we don’t have time for this.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Lila’s voice dropped, and she came off as far more cold than she’d planned.

“Oh, you know what he means.” Chloe challenged, _“Thief.”_

Lila bit her tongue, immediately disliking the blonde girl. Chloe was abrasive- getting far more confrontational than she needed to be right off the bat. Clearly, she was used to her needs being met after she got angry. This wasn’t the behavior of somebody that was accustomed to being told ‘no’ from time to time.

“The book I had earlier. Did you take it?” Adrien was just as angry as his companion (more, actually), but he was better at keeping his emotions in check.

Lila blinked, as she realized that she actually was guilty of the charge. In the library, upon approaching Adrien, Lila had swiped the book as a way of getting closer to him. A quick visit to a local jewelry store was all it took for her to get her hands on a necklace that looked like the one in the book. Afterwards, she had-

_Oh, shit._ _I threw it away._

“You mean… the superhero book?” Lila stalled for time, as she aggressively sifted through her memories to recall where exactly she had pitched it.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the only _book_ I had out.” He was unamused. Unlike earlier, Adrien seemed to see right through her.

Chloe wasn’t impressed either, “Adrikins-” Lila cringed at the pet name, “-she _totally_ swiped your book.” Chloe looked back at Lila, hate in her eyes, “Alright: _out_ with it! Where’s the book? If you don’t tell us, I’ll call my daddy and-”

“Not helping.” Adrien interrupted his friend, but spared his friend a smile, “I appreciate the enthusiasm, though.”

They must’ve been childhood friends, or at least known each other for a very long time, Lila surmised. Adrien clearly had no romantic interest in Chloe, and Chloe seemed very _protective_ of Adrien. They were very comfortable in each other’s presence, as though any and all roadblocks in their relationship had been sorted out _years_ ago. If Lila didn’t already know their backgrounds, she’d have pegged Chloe as Adrien’s sister, in all honesty.

“Lila…” Adrien sighed, clearly still upset but willing to compromise, “Look, I know you have something to do with the book disappearing. I’m not- _well,_ I guess I am mad- but that’s not important right now.” His voice became more pleading, “I _need_ to get that book back. It doesn’t belong to me, and I’m going to be in big trouble if I can’t return it. Even if you took it, I won’t hold it against you.”

“I will.” Chloe muttered.

_Well this is a fine mess I’m in, isn’t it?_ Lila groaned internally, and shifted back and forth as she considered her answer. Her gut instinct was to lie and tell him that she had no idea what had happened to his stupid book. He was rich, wasn’t he? Go buy another one...

“How much trouble are we talking about?” Lila had to ask, and hated herself for sounding genuinely concerned.

“I’ll get pulled out of school.” Adrien’s entire face seemed to droop as he said it, and Lila couldn’t help but _snicker._ What teenage boy was upset about not going to school?

“What are you: A Disney princess?” Lila teased, and Chloe snorted.

As easy as it would’ve been to deny knowing about the book, Lila couldn’t do it. It would’ve been a step up from all the lies she’d told him earlier. It was one thing to brag, and to make people think she was a lot cooler than she was- it was another to withhold information that could save Adrien from “big trouble.” She had hated when Ladybug humiliated her earlier, but she carried no grudge against the blond boy.

“Okay, look…” Lila sighed, and took a seat on one of the folding chairs, “You’re right: I swiped your book earlier, when you dropped your bag in the library-”  
  


“You still have it?” Adrien’s eyes widened, filled with hope that made Lila cringe when she realized that it was about to vanish.

“Uh, no. Not exactly.” Lila squirmed, and her two visitors shared an anxious look.

“Well?” Chloe began to tap her foot, and folded her arms across her chest.

“I’m really sorry, but I threw it away.” Lila blurted, and both of their jaws dropped.

“You _what?”_ Chloe and Adrien said in unison, and Lila shook her head. _Should’ve just lied, Rossi. What are you doing?_

“At the park, before we started... _talking.”_ Lila’s blood boiled at the memory of what happened after that, “It should still be in the trash bin closest to that bench.” Lila explained, and Adrien immediately whipped out his phone, presumably checking both the time and how close he was to the park.

“Okay, we’ll go look right away.” Adrien nodded, before Chloe could unleash a wave of profanities at the Italian girl, “If I’m not in school tomorrow… you’ll know what happened.”

“Ha! Fat chance.” Chloe shook her head, regarding Lila cooly, “Don’t be ridiculous, Adrikins. She’s coming with us. I am _not_ spending my evening picking through trash cans at the behest of a known liar.”

**********

Marinette was still fuming as she stepped out of Master Fu’s apartment.

“I’m sorry, Marinette.” Tikki tried to reason with her, poking her head out from Marinette’s pocket (she had to admit it was adorable), “But you have to trust us on this one! Master Fu knows what he’s talking about, and I’m sure we’ll be allowed to tell Adrien about all of this once we know that everything’s okay.”

“I mean, you didn’t tell me about any of this for…” Marinette privately counted how long she’d had her Miraculous, “...six months. Why would things change now?”

But before Tikki could say anything, a familiar voice caught her attention, “Dupain-Cheng? What are _you_ doing here?”

Marinette whirled around to investigate, and was greeted by the sight of _Chloe_ staring at her from in front of the elevator. She privately _panicked,_ as she had no idea if Chloe had seen her talking into her pocket. But that concern was quickly replaced with something much larger- Chloe wasn’t here alone.

“Marinette!” Adrien beamed, and she couldn’t help but blush a bit, “It’s good to see you! I guess we are close to your parents’ bakery…” Marinette opened her mouth, almost certainly about to stammer out some radically incoherent drivel about how much she liked him, when a third figure standing behind Adrien caught her eye.

_You’ve gotta be shitting me-_

“Hi there.” The girl stepped forwards, smiling politely as she extended her hand, “I’m Lila- your name is Marinette? It’s nice to meet you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments / kudos! They really mean a lot, and I'm super happy that everybody seems to be enjoying this so far!


	5. In good time, Nathalie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know what I know.” Adrien muttered, as he continued to sift through a trash can. What would his father think?

“Hi there.” The girl stepped forwards, smiling politely as she extended her hand, “I’m Lila- your name is Marinette? It’s nice to meet you!”

Marinette stared at Lila’s extended hand, utterly stunned. Seeing Adrien with Chloe was one thing- it sucked, but Chloe was the only friend he had before attending school- but _Lila!_ Marinette wanted to interrogate Adrien at once; it couldn’t have been more than four hours ago that he’d watched Ladybug expose Lila’s lies right in front of him. 

The fact that Adrien was Chat Noir only made the case even stronger that he should _not_ be associating with her.

“Uh, Marinette?” Adrien asked, as Lila’s polite smile melted into a frown.

“Hm?” Marinette blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, “Oh- it’s nice to meet you too Lila!” Marinette cringed- unable to stop her introduction from sounding fake (because it was) “I’m Marinette, but my friends call me Marinette.”

Lila tilted her head, unsure if this girl was socially awkward, messing with her, or just plain _stupid._ Either way, this wasn’t a good start, “...right.”

“What are you doing here?” Adrien asked with a smile, as he was used to Marinette’s shenanigans by now, “Chloe and I were just stopping by Lila’s place to ask a favor.”

“That’s one word for it.” Chloe snorted as she pushed the elevator button, and Lila gave her a nasty look.

_A favor?_

Marinette had no idea what Adrien was talking about, and _definitely_ didn’t know what Chloe would have to do with it. As far as she knew, Adrien had met Lila for the first time today, the same as Marinette. And as far as Marinette was concerned, there was no reason in _hell_ that Adrien should be stopping by Lila’s apartment for ‘favors.’

_Maybe it’s a good thing Chloe was with him-_

Marinette blinked, as she realized that Adrien was still waiting for her response. What was it he had he asked again?

“Oh, I was just…” Marinette was too distracted to think of a good excuse for being here, “I mean, what I meant to say is that-”

“Didn’t you come out of Room 320?” Lila interrupted, and _of course_ pointed at Master Fu’s apartment, “I saw you coming- didn’t realize that you were a friend of Adrien’s.”

“Um, _yes!”_ Marinette’s mind scrambled, “I was there because-”

“Mr. Chan lives there, doesn’t he?” Lila asked nonchalantly, but her eyes betrayed a deep _suspicion,_ “I met him just a few days ago… He’s a charming guy, don’t you agree? Oh-” Lila feigned ignorance, “What was it he did in there? He runs some kind of business…” Marinette immediately realized that Lila was testing her.

Chloe, Adrien, and Lila were all looking at her now, waiting for her response. Chloe looked indifferent, Adrien was curious, and Lila’s eyes seemed to be boring straight into Marinette’s skull, even though she was holding a fake smile. Marinette gulped- she needed to stay calm. The only way this situation could get bad was if Marinette made it bad by acting suspicious.

“He gives massages, I believe.” Marinette said, remembering a small sign that the master had set up, “It’s a very traditional Chinese establishment.”

Lila opened her mouth to say something, but Adrien spoke first, “Massages, huh? Sounds like a good opportunity to practice my Mandarin. Maybe I’ll stop by one of these days.”

_Yes, you definitely will._ Marinette silently promised, and cleared her throat, “So… the three of you look busy. Where are you going?” She was eager to shift the conversation to them, both out of a genuine concern for what Adrien was doing, and to avoid talking about her own activities.

“We’re going to the park right now.” A dark look came across his face, “I’m actually looking for something- a book that I lost earlier.” Adrien paused, as though making a quick decision, “Lila didn’t know what it was and accidentally threw it away this morning, and she’s taking us to the exact spot.” Lila arched an eyebrow, unfamiliar with Adrien’s version of events.

“R-Right…” Marinette quickly realized that their efforts to ‘find the book’ would be less than successful, for obvious reasons, “Uh… not that it’s any of my business, or a real concern of mine or anything- in fact, I could care less- but what’s so important about this book?”

“You’re right.” Chloe sneered, as the elevator door opened, “It is _none of your business.”_

“I’m in big trouble if I don’t get it back.” Adrien said, shooting Chloe a look before sounding apologetic, “I only have until the end of the day to return it…”

_Return it?_ Adrien had gotten the book from somebody… but who? The most obvious guess was that it came from his father, but that wasn’t a given. After all, they were talking about literal _magic,_ and Adrien could theoretically be talking about anybody. He could theoretically be talking about Hawkmoth himself…

Whether it was right now as Marinette, or later as Ladybug, she needed to get to the bottom of this.

Adrien’s eyes suddenly lit up, “Actually, if you’re not busy right now… do you wanna help us? We’re basically just picking through trash, so it’s okay if you’re busy, but-”

_“Yes!”_ Marinette accepted his invitation without thinking, and quickly blushed at her outburst. Chloe audibly groaned, and Lila looked intrigued. The Italian girl glanced between the two of them, before finally settling on Marinette. Lila, despite her earlier suspicion towards Marinette, gave a knowing smile. Perhaps even more surprising- Marinette was startled to notice that it actually seemed _genuine._

“Do you all mind?” Chloe was standing inside the elevator, and had to press a button to stop it from closing, “Last time I checked, we still had a tight schedule.”

“You meant it though?” Adrien double-checked, as the four teenagers filed into the fortunately empty elevator, “You’ll help me out?”

It was probably a bad idea. Marinette needed to approach him later- as Ladybug, to talk about both him revealing his identity and about where he’d gotten the book from. Helping Adrien look for the book while she _knew_ he wasn’t going to find it was a bad idea in itself- especially if she had to hear exactly how much ‘trouble’ Adrien was going to be in. She already felt guilty as it was.

Adrien waited patiently, staring into her eyes with growing confusion as his question went unanswered.

_How can I say no to that face?_

“Of course.” Marinette tried to smile naturally, but it looked like more of a _grimace,_ “That’s what f-friends are for…” Marinette nearly choked on her words, and Chloe gave a frustrated sigh as the elevator door closed.

**********

“He won’t find it, will he?” Nathalie asked, and Gabriel Agreste could only shake his head.

Adrien had been gone for at least two hours now, and night was quickly approaching. If Adrien had simply misplaced the book, it would’ve almost certainly been found by now. As much as Gabriel questioned the boy’s discipline, and respect for authority, Gabriel never once questioned Adrien’s intelligence. If the book was still out there, along the route Adrien had traversed today, it wouldn’t have eluded him.

“It may not even be his fault.” Gabriel said, and began twiddling with the purple Miraculous he usually kept concealed beneath his tie, “Ladybug and Chat Noir were in this very house earlier… it’s entirely possible that my grimoire didn’t go unnoticed by them.”

“Meaning _what_ exactly?” Nathalie demanded, and her skin _crawled_ when Gabriel unleashed a dark, humorless laugh in response.

“Well, Nathalie.” Gabriel explained, “It means that Ladybug and Chat Noir will almost certainly learn- or at least suspect- that Hawkmoth resides within this very house. They will investigate, sooner rather than later. Part of me is surprised that they have not already arrived.”

“So that’s it?” Nathalie couldn’t believe her ears, “You’re just… giving up?” Her defiance was met with a sharp look by her employer.

“Mind your tongue.” Gabriel said, “I haven’t given in… not _yet_ at least.” He shook his head, sighing as he considered his plan, “I still have a chance at escaping their suspicion- it’ll be a gamble, but it might be my only hope.”

“...sir?” Nathalie blinked, confused when her boss didn’t elaborate.

“In good time, Nathalie.” Gabriel waved his hand, clearly dismissing his assistant, “For now… I recommend that you return to your apartment. Stay there until morning at least. If I do not call-” Gabriel shook his head darkly “-then assume the worst. There should be more than enough funds available for you to escape the country.”

Nathalie wanted to protest, but she recognized the look in Gabriel’s eyes. He was his usual cold self, but there was a certain determination in his eyes that she rarely saw. She shook her head privately- he wasn’t going to be swayed.

“Good luck, Hawkmoth.” Nathalie said simply, but Gabriel wasn’t present in any sense except the physical anymore.

**********

Sunset came quicker than Adrien had expected, and it sparked an immediate panic in the young supermodel. Adrien had been commanded to return his father’s book “by the end of the day,” and he had no idea whether he meant by dark, by midnight, or even by the next morning. But he quickly calmed himself- Gabriel Agreste was usually not an unreasonable man. He was petty, uptight, and occasionally just plain _mean,_ but he listened to logic. As long as Adrien found the book, apologized, and returned it within a reasonable time frame, there shouldn’t be any issues.

Adrien allowed himself a small smile- they were _certain_ to find the book tonight. Lila had come clean about what happened- much to his surprise- and there was no good reason for her to lie about it again. With Chloe and Marinette tagging along, their group was four strong now anyways, meaning that even if Lila chose the wrong bin for whatever reason, finding the right one wouldn’t be an issue.

“How are things?” Adrien decided to ask Marinette, who seemed pretty uncomfortable. He recalled that Marinette and Chloe basically _never_ got along, and Adrien had to wonder if bringing them both along might’ve been a mistake. Especially since neither of them knew Lila well, and Chloe already didn’t like her.

Marinette paused, as though actively considering her answer, “Honestly? Things… they could be a bit better.”

Adrien was surprised, as Marinette rarely confided in him, “I’m sorry to hear that… is there anything I can do?”

_Literally nothing._ Marinette groaned internally. The ball was pretty much entirely in her court on this one. Adrien had played all of his cards: revealed his identity to Ladybug, made it clear that the book wasn’t his, and he had no way of contacting Ladybug on his own. Marinette, on the other hand, owed Adrien all sorts of things. She was still hiding her double life from him, had been ordered to hide Master Fu's _existence,_ and was technically investigating him for possible ties to Hawkmoth. She wanted to know where he got the book from, but that was seriously it…

“Probably not.” Marinette shook her head, and sighed, “If you don’t mind my asking- why is this book so important?”

His face immediately darkened at the reminder of his predicament, “I don’t know, actually. It belongs to my father.” _Of course._ “I took it without his permission… and he figured out that it was me. He gave me until the end of the day to return it.”

“Or what?” Marinette dared to ask, and Adrien shook his head.

_Gabriel Agreste._ Marinette had only had the chance to meet with Adrien’s father on a handful of occasions, all of them brief. Her skin crawled, as she remembered the time she’d met him as Ladybug- during the battle with Simon Says. Mr. Agreste had acted _very_ strangely, even going so far as to ask for the chance to look at her earrings. Ladybug had found in strange enough back then, but now-

_He could be Hawkmoth._

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” Adrien said tightly, “Okay, Lila.” Adrien jogged a few steps to catch up with the brown-haired girl, “We’re at the park- where’s the bin?”

“Over here.” Lila gestured towards the bench that the two of them had sat on earlier, “The bin next to that bench. That’s where it should be.”

“Are you sure?” Marinette asked anxiously, “I mean… this park is pretty big, and they could’ve already emptied the trash-”

“Doubtful.” Chloe snorted, “I’ve listened to my father complain about city employees enough times to know that this book is _definitely_ still here.”

Marinette bit her lip anxiously, fading behind the rest of the group. They weren’t going to find the book, and it was entirely possible that Adrien had just revealed the civilian identity of Hawkmoth…

_Don’t be ridiculous._ There was no way that Adrien’s- _Chat Noir’s-_ father was Hawkmoth. The odds of that happening were beyond insurmountable. Master Fu had only picked Adrien as Chat Noir on a chance encounter. If he’d actually been talking to Hawkmoth’s son… it was just too ridiculous to consider.

“You’re _kidding.”_ Lila stared at the trash bin, horror creeping into her features as she turned back to the group, “No- _where is it?”_

“I take it that’s not the right one?” Adrien asked, but Marinette couldn’t help but notice the tightness in his voice. He tapped his foot, and began twitching his fingers- either a sign of anxiety or _anger._ Perhaps both?

Lila began to frantically shift the garbage around, her eyes widening more and more, “Adrien, I swear to you that this is where I left it!”

“Well I guess the case is closed then, huh?” Chloe said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as Lila continued to pick through the waste, “Hear that, Adrikins? The thief _swears_ this is where she threw away your book-”

“Shut up!” Lila growled at Chloe, and she shoved the trash can onto the ground with a frustrated shout, “It’s gotta be around here- is this trash still fresh? Maybe it’s at the dump-” Lila certainly didn’t deserve her sympathy, but Marinette couldn’t help but feel _ashamed._ It was her fault that this girl was currently on her hands and knees, picking through a park trash can.

_I mean, she did steal the book._ Marinette tried to rationalize, but it didn’t work. Lila was actively trying to return the book right now, and Marinette was the reason that she was failing-

“It’s not in there, Lila.” Adrien grumbled, shaking his head disdainfully, “Maybe we… I don’t know- maybe we’re looking in the wrong bin? There’s gotta be _dozens_ of these things-”

“No, I’m _sure!”_ Lila protested, gesturing at the trash in front of her, “Adrien, I promise you! Don’t you remember? It was right here that Ladybug-” Lila’s eyes widened, as she hadn’t planned on mentioning the superheroine.

“Ladybug?” Chloe’s interest was immediately piqued, “You two saw Ladybug today?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Adrien sighed, and took a deep breath to calm himself. He crouched down in front of Lila, “Look… let’s not worry about that right now. We should spread out, and check the other bins… okay?”

Chloe quickly grabbed Adrien, and loudly ‘suggested’ (ordered) that they split into groups of two as they searched the park. Adrien made eye contact with Marinette one last time before they split, and he mouthed a quick apology as Chloe dragged him away. He’d been foolish enough to believe Lila _again,_ and now he’d dragged Marinette into one of his messes. He would apologize more fully next time-

_There might not be a next time._

Adrien winced, as he considered what might happen. If Adrien got pulled from school… seeing Marinette again wouldn’t be easy. Nino would be _permanently_ out of his reach (Father didn’t approve), and his other friends would be a challenge. The only person he’d have left was-

“This is ridiculous. _Utterly_ ridiculous.” Chloe seethed, as the two of them started to pick through some more trash cans, “I don’t mean to say ‘I told you so,’ but-”

“But you told me so?” Adrien finished, and Chloe’s smug smile was very short-lived.

“You can’t trust that girl.” Chloe said darkly, referring to Lila of course, “She stole the book… and now she’s led us on a wild goose chase for her own amusement. You shouldn’t have told her how desperate you are- she’s _using_ that for something.” Chloe waited for Adrien to respond, but grew frustrated when he looked a little uncertain, “Come on, you know I’m right.”

Was Chloe right? Adrien had been fooled by Lila several times already, _especially_ if he counted her time as Volpina. Everything pointed to this being yet another scheme- a way to manipulate Adrien and get something she wanted. He didn’t know _why_ somebody would do this… but there were a lot of things that Adrien didn’t know.

“I don’t know what I know.” Adrien muttered, as he finished sifting through a trash can. _Nothing._ “She seemed genuinely surprised that she couldn’t find it. Then again, I thought she was ‘genuine’ when she lied to me earlier.” He shook his head, “I guess I’m not a very good judge of character…”

_“Exactly.”_ Chloe nodded in agreement, and smiled, “Which is why you should let _me_ handle the judging for you.”

Adrien couldn’t help but smile back, “Thanks, Chloe.”

On the other side of the park, Marinette had been left alone with Lila- still on her hands and knees. After a good ten seconds of awkward staring, Marinette was finally about to speak up, and suggest that they start ‘searching’ for the book that she knew was out of their reach, when she noticed something in Lila’s eyes-

“Lila?” Marinette was dumbfounded, “Are you-”

_“No!”_ Lila snapped, and wiped the tears from her eyes, “-I’m sorry. You don’t deserve that- I just can’t believe-”

“It’s okay.” Marinette knelt, and surprised herself by putting a reassuring hand on Lila’s shoulder, “You’re telling the truth.”

“Every time…” Lila lamented, as she started to rise. Marinette kept a hold on her, “Just when I thought that _maybe,_ just _maybe_ I could bounce back- _this_ happens.” Lila shook her head, wiping more tears, “What am I doing? You guys… your school, your class- this should’ve been so easy. Getting along with everybody shouldn’t-” Lila sobbed, and Marinette felt _unbelievably_ awkward as she kept a reassuring hand on the Italian girl’s shoulder.

“I believe you.” Marinette said softly, as they both rose back to their feet, “You didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“I stole his book.” Lila confessed, “You might’ve heard Chloe call me a thief… I don’t get why Adrien tried to cover for me. Ladybug called me out earlier- exposed all the lies I was peddling right in front of his face. I don’t understand why he-” Lila’s face suddenly darkened.

The book… it had superheroes in it. Ladybug and Chat Noir were among them. The book was clearly valuable- perhaps even one of a kind. Lila had thrown the book into a trash can in this very park, and then proceeded to flirt with Adrien. It had taken a bit of time, but Ladybug was quick to show up afterwards. And now the book was _gone._

_That can’t be a coincidence._

“Adrien’s a really forgiving guy.” Marinette said, not noticing Lila’s change in demeanor, “He forgave me on his first day, after I accused him of sticking gum on my seat. He’s so _kind-”_ Lila was only barely listening.

_Ladybug took the book._ White-hot anger coursed through the Italian girl as she realized that the girl that had humiliated her in front of Adrien earlier was the same one responsible for her current predicament. Lila had been willing to admit that her rejection of Ladybug’s apology earlier may have been a bit immature- but the spotted heroine was _far_ worse than Lila had originally realized.

“He’s so _humble_ too!” Marinette continued to rant, pausing only for a lovestruck sigh, “-and he’s _Just. So. Amazing!”_ Marinette finally finished, and quietly realized that her crush on the blond boy was still very much intact, despite her discovery about him today, “So yeah… I’m sure he’ll forgive you. He’s-”

“-amazing, right?” Lila finally directed her attention back to the dark-haired girl, smiling in spite of her anger. “Call me crazy, but you seem like you’re a pretty big fan of Adrien.” Marinette blushed.

“R-Right.” Marientte stammered, and Lila laughed.

“Well, Chloe seems like she’s a bit of a helicopter…” Lila mused, “But the two of them definitely aren’t a thing. I mean- Adrien’s still single, right?” Marinette nodded awkwardly, and Lila gave her a playful nudge, “I saw how excited he was to see you earlier- he might need a bit of encouragement, but you could totally pull it off.”

Completely unprepared for this conversation, Marinette could only react, “Wait- you actually think we could-”

_“Definitely.”_ Lila grinned mischievously, but a certain sadness came across her face a moment later, “I’d offer to help… but I kinda feel like that would have the opposite effect now.”

Perhaps even more uncomfortable than the conversation itself was how… _natural_ it felt. While Marinette still didn’t trust this girl- in fact, she was still a bit intimidated- she had no reason to think that Lila was being deceptive right now. Lila, for whatever the reason, seemed like she was actually being _nice_ to her. Maybe it was just because Marinette comforted her a moment ago, but it was still jarring.

“Say, Marinette?” Lila studied her curiously, “This is all pretty strange, and I’m sorry that you had to see all of this, but…”

“But…?” Marinette had no idea where this was going.

“What do you say we spend some more time together?” Lila proposed, and Marinette could only stare in shock, “I mean _after_ we finish picking through the trash of course, but I’m still pretty new to Paris. I didn’t really get the chance to make many friends today, and you seem pretty cool.”

“Wait.” Marinette blinked, completely blindsided, “You want to… hang out?”

Lila chuckled, and offered her hand to shake Marinette’s for the second time today, “I was asking if we could be friends?”

Marinette’s jaw dropped for a moment. Her and Lila… as _friends?_ She tried to wrap her mind around that idea, but it was just so ridiculous. Lila was a liar. She had manipulated Adrien earlier, and thrown away the book that she _stole_ from him. It was her that had dangled the illusion of Adrien over the side of the Eiffel Tower, pushing Ladybug to the brink-

_That wasn’t Lila._ Marinette had to stop herself. A personal vendetta didn’t mean that Lila was any more responsible for her actions as Volpina than anybody else. She didn’t blame Alya for her actions as Lady Wifi, or Ivan for what he’d done as Stoneheart. This wasn’t any different.

But before Marinette could complete these thoughts, her eyes suddenly widened, “Lila… what is _that!?”_

For it was at that very moment that the Eiffel Tower, in all its glory, just _vanished._


	6. Surprising and Intriguing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But what about Alya?” Tom asked, worry creeping right back into his voice, “Marinette told me that’s who she was with when this all went down.”
> 
> Lila sighed internally. Marinette would seriously owe her one after this was all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments- hope you enjoy!

“The Eiffel Tower…” Lila gaped, “It just-”

“We need to move!” Marinette interrupted, and grabbed the new girl’s arm. They needed to run somewhere that wasn’t here, and _fast._ She had no idea what they were up against- probably an akuma- but standing in the middle of the park wasn’t going to accomplish anything. In the corner of her eye, she saw Adrien and Chloe both running for cover as well.

The park was descending into chaos, and the sound of car horns on the road was incredibly distracting. There hadn’t been many other people in the park while they searched for Adrien’s book, but those lucky few all seemed to be screaming. Nothing had directly threatened their safety _yet,_ but seeing Paris’s most iconic structure destroyed with such ease was enough to throw everybody into panic.

“This is another one of those akuma villains… isn’t it?” Lila asked as they ran.

“That’d be my bet.” Marinette affirmed, and Lila’s face immediately filled with an emotion that Marinette didn’t have time to discern, “We need somewhere to hide…” More accurately: Marinette needed to send Lila to a safe place so she could slip away and transform.

“My apartment!” Lila exclaimed, as the two of them reached the edge of the park. Marinette had to admit that she was surprisingly cool under the pressure, “We can take cover back there- maybe Chloe and Adrien will go that way too-”

“Too far.” Marinette shook her head, and took in her surroundings. The park was on the same road as Lila’s apartments, but several blocks down. However, another large building caught Marinette’s attention- a familiar bakery.

“It’s just down the road!” Lila protested, “It’s the building we just-”

“See that bakery?” Marinette interrupted, and pointed Lila’s attention to her own house, which was only barely in view.

“Uh… yes?”

“Go there.” Marinette commanded, “It’s closer, and my parents are the owners. My mother’s out and about…” Marinette recalled, “...but my father should be there. Tell him that Marinette sent you, and he’ll keep you safe until Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle this.” Her parents would definitely panic that Marinette wasn’t with Lila, but that was something she could sort out later.

“Wait!” Lila looked scared now, “You’re coming with me, right?”

“Not yet.” Marinette shook her head, “I’ll go get Adrien and Chloe- tell them to meet us there.”

“Marinette, that doesn’t- _hey!”_ Lila protested, but Marinette was already sprinting at full speed back into the park. She hoped that Lila obeyed her- Ladybug couldn’t afford to waste any more time slipping away. She ran as fast as she could, running straight into the park’s public restrooms, slamming the door on one of the stalls.

“That might’ve been a mistake…” Marinette realized, as Tikki emerged from her purse.

“What do you mean?”  
  


“I told my father that I was going to spend time with Alya when I left.” Marinette explained, her eyes widening with concern, “I just sent Lila there- when she shows up at the bakery, the truth is probably going to come out once he starts asking questions.”

Tikki had been scant on details when they left, explaining that Marinette was going to see the man that gave her the Ladybug Miraculous. This obviously wouldn’t fly as an excuse for leaving in the middle of the afternoon, so Marinette had been forced to tell her father that she was going to hang out with Alya. It was a classic, reliable excuse that hadn’t let her down yet.

_At least not until Lila got involved-_

“I can worry about that later.” Marinette said, to herself as much as to Tikki. She shook her head as she considered the task she was about to undertake, “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a villain that could destroy something _that_ large _that_ quickly.” The Eiffel Tower had just _vanished,_ and it was up to Ladybug to repair all of the damage later.

“You’ll have to be careful.” Tikki said seriously, her bright blue eyes filled with concern. Marinette had to smile, in spite of the situation. She was definitely still mad at Tikki for what happened at Master Fu’s- at least a little bit. But seeing Tikki right now was a good reminder that this crimson-colored being really did care about her.

“I just hope Adrien can slip away from Chloe.” Marinette recalled seeing the two blondes running off together, “I’m going to need Chat Noir’s help on this one…”

“I’m sure he’ll find a way.” Tikki said, “After all, I’ll bet he has _plenty_ of practice, just like you.”

It was a funny thought. There were many times that Marinette had struggled to escape a dangerous situation and transform- concerned friends and protective parents got in the way a _lot._ On some level, she’d always known that Chat Noir shared that experience with her, but Marinette had never really given it any thought until now. But now she knew the truth- her partner was Adrien Agreste, part-time supermodel with a busy schedule and an overprotective (and possibly evil) father. If anything, slipping away was an even bigger challenge for him.

“Yeah… you’re probably right.” Marinette managed to smile, and took a deep breath, “We’ve got a job to do- _Tikki, spots on!”_

In a flash of red light, Marinette Dupain-Cheng vanished- replaced with the savior of Paris, _Ladybug._ And although it had only been a few hours since her last bout with Hawkmoth, Ladybug still felt like it had been _ages_ since her last transformation. The battle with Volpina had been draining, and all of the revelations to occur afterwards- from Master Fu to Chat Noir’s secret identity- made it all feel different somehow.

She stared at her hands, now covered by the same spotted elastic suit that covered her entire body. The invisible barrier that Marinette had erected between her civilian and heroic lives was gone now. Chat Noir was no longer somebody distant, and somebody else (Master Fu) knew about her identity. And while both of things had always been true, her newfound knowledge still changed things.

Over in the men’s bathroom, not even ten meters from where Marinette was standing, Adrien Agreste slammed one of the stall doors shut. He’d managed to slip away from Chloe, under the pretense of “finding Marinette and Lila,” but it had been a shaky excuse at best. The blonde girl seemed aware that he was deceiving her, but was fortunately willing to let it slide for the time being.

“Adrien…” Plagg emerged from his pocket, “I’m sorry-”  
  


“It’s my fault.” Adrien shook his head, “Lila may have stolen the book, but I was the one that took it from my father’s safe without permission.” He sighed, “And because of my _stupidity,_ I’m going to lose all of my friends.”

Time was almost certainly up by now. Even if this akuma battle was a quick one, there was virtually no chance that he would recover the book in a satisfactory amount of time, if he even found it at all. Searching the park had been a coping mechanism- they all knew that the book was long gone. Unless Lila was sitting on it for some reason (which was entirely possible), he was unlikely to ever see it again.

_Or my friends, for that matter._

“Ah, well.” Plagg shifted uncomfortably, laughing nervously, “If I recall correctly, you weren’t the one _insisting_ that we check out behind the portrait, were you?”

Adrien smiled wryly, “Yeah, but you have bad ideas all the time. It’s still my fault for listening to you.” His smile quickly vanished, “I know my father- well, better than you, at least- and I knew that I was asking for trouble.”

He probably would’ve tried something whether Plagg was there or not. Seeing that his father was hiding something from him- behind the portrait of his mother, no less- was enough to make him investigate on his own. Adrien might not have been able to open the safe on his own, but taking the book was still his choice.

“Well, I’m still sorry, for what it’s worth.” Plagg sounded genuinely sad, much to Adrien’s astonishment.

“Hey, no worries.” Adrien gave his kwami an affectionate pat, “Never took you for the sentimental type, but we can work that out later.” He straightened his posture, “I think that’s enough moping around for now- Ladybug’s going to need my help on this one. Plagg, _claws out!”_

**********

“What the hell happened?” Chat Noir demanded, as he landed next to his partner on a rooftop overlooking what was formerly the Eiffel Tower.

“Nothing good.” Ladybug remarked softly, and made only fleeting eye contact with him. “I’m sorry I had to take off earlier. It was-”

“Not now.” Chat Noir shook his head. He was just as concerned about everything as she was, but they couldn’t afford to waste any more time while a villain was still raging around Paris, “Right now we have a city to save.”

“...right.” Ladybug said quietly, and silently cursed herself for addressing the elephant in the room.

Ladybug still hadn’t gotten a chance to apologize for their argument earlier. She’d openly accused him on not caring about Adrien’s life, a charge that sounded even more ridiculous now. There was basically no chance that Chat Noir would’ve revealed his identity if not for her prodding…

_Would that be a good thing?_

Ladybug shook her head, dismissing such thoughts. Chat Noir was right- now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

_Think._ The Eiffel Tower had vanished. There hadn’t been any kind of loud explosion, and there was no sign of any debris _anywhere._ Just a quick flash, and Paris’s signature monument was just gone. It meant that whatever they were up against, it was _powerful._ Ladybug and Chat Noir would be wise to give their opponent some space.

“Hawkmoth’s really outdone himself.” Chat Noir said darkly, crouching down next to Ladybug as he scowled at the now empty lot in the middle of the city, “The Eiffel Tower- gone in the blink of an eye.” He shook his head, not sure how they were going to beat this guy- or what “this guy” even was, really.

“I’m sure we’ll beat him- or her.” Ladybug said, trying to sound confident, but it came off far squeakier than she’d planned. It wasn’t as bad as when they were both civilians, but talking to Chat Noir was still harder than it was before. She knew that this was the same guy she’d stalked for months-

_Not now._

“Yeah, for sure.” Chat Noir nodded, and he gave her one of his trademarked smiles, “Let’s go check out the crime scene.” She couldn’t help but appreciate his attempt to act normal.

The two heroes leapt off the rooftop, and quickly landed in the empty lot. Police had set up a barricade all around it, and hundreds of civilians were congregated behind them. People were extremely animated, some of them panicking, others cheering with excitement when they saw Ladybug and Chat Noir.

_Looks like the pressure is on._

“No rubble.” Chat Noir shook his head, studying the scene carefully, seemingly undistracted by the crowd behind them. Ladybug quietly realized that large masses of emotional people were probably nothing new for him, “There’s no bodies either… _thankfully.”_

Ladybug stared at him for a moment, “...bodies?”

“There’s always people on the Eiffel Tower.” Chat’s voice was grim, “They must’ve vanished with the tower. Otherwise…”

“The scene would be a lot less pretty.” Ladybug realized, and they fell into an awkward silence as both heroes were left with that unpleasant image.

It was a good reminder that Hawkmoth was playing for keeps. He’d proven on _many_ occasions that he had little to no regard for innocent life, allowing his akumatized villains to kill dozens of people with painful regularity. They were restored afterwards, of course, but Hawkmoth wasn’t the one who cleaned up the mess every time… _That_ responsibility was left in the hands of- 

“Ladybug!” Sergeant Raincomprix rushed towards them, exiting the barricade once he spotted the heroes arrive, “We’ve been waiting for you. The tower-”

“-vanished.” Chat Noir said tightly, “Yeah, we noticed.”

“What’s the situation?” Ladybug asked, holding a hand to quiet her partner.

“You’re looking at it.” The sergeant was still in awe, as he gestured towards the empty sky in front of them, “And it’s not just the Eiffel Tower. The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe…” He shook his head, “I could go on, but you get the point.”

“Are all of them just like this?” Chat Noir’s eyes widened, and the sergeant nodded, “What possible reason could the akuma have for _this?”_ Chat paced anxiously, “Maybe a terrorist? Some kind of other anti-French extremist?” 

“Somebody that wants to destroy as many Parisian landmarks as possible.” The sergeant agreed, “But _why?”_

As Chat Noir and Sergeant Raincomprix discussed a possible motive, Ladybug’s mind was on other things, “Actually, sergeant?” Raincomprix looked over, “I _would_ like you to go on.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, frowning in confusion. Chat Noir looked equally perplexed for a long moment, but suddenly smiled as he realized where Ladybug was going.

“Which landmarks have been destroyed?” Ladybug asked, “Or more precisely- which landmarks _haven’t_ vanished yet?”

“Well, I don’t know.” Raincomprix fumbled for his walkie talkie, “Sir, Ladybug wants to know: which landmarks haven’t been hit yet?” He waited for a long moment, as the police officer on the other side began listing off a couple of names, “It looks like the Notre-Dame Cathedral is still there, along with a couple other smaller landmarks. I take it you’re looking to lay some kind of trap for this guy?”

Ladybug nodded, “Notre-Dame sounds like our best bet. Thank you sergeant.”

“Very astute, m’lady.” Chat Noir offered a genuine smile, and bowed playfully. Ladybug giggled, and for a quick moment- just a quick one- nothing had changed. This was just another mission for the two of them. They were going to find the villain, destroy his or her akumatized object, fix the city, and go home.

**********

Lila was upset, to say the least.

She was still reeling from her revelation about Ladybug- the true culprit behind the theft of Adrien’s book. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that the spotted heroine had arrived mere moments after Lila pitched the book- what reason would Ladybug _possibly_ have for roaming the city at that time? There certainly weren’t any villains out at that time. The only plausible explanation was that she’d been stalking Lila, or Adrien, or _both._

_She had to be looking for the book._

A gigantic billboard with Ladybug’s face caught Lila’s attention. She scowled- it had only been a few days since Lila had arrived in Paris, but she’d have to have been blind to not understand the city’s unwavering adoration for the spotted heroine. Hating her wasn’t going to be a popular opinion- an opinion that Lila would be wise to keep to herself.

The city sidewalks were still in chaos as she navigated her way towards the bakery that Marinette had pointed out, and Lila was very nearly trampled on more than one occasion. Fortunately, Lila had seen worse- New York was her home before this, and Times Square on Black Friday was one of the few times that Lila had ever actually feared for her life. Right now, there was direct threat to people’s safety, just panic over what had happened.

“Anybody home?” Lila entered the bakery’s lobby, and frowned when she realized that she was standing in an empty room. Maybe everybody had high-tailed out when they heard the chaos outside? The lobby was cute, decorated with a couple of display cases containing delicious-looking pastries. She couldn’t help but feel envious if Marinette actually got to live here.

“Um… hello?” Lila stood in the doorway to the bakery’s kitchen uncomfortably, calling out and catching the attention of a large man currently working on some dough.

“Hello there!” The large man beamed happily, seemingly unbothered by the intrusion as he stopped working on the dough he was rolling, “I didn’t see you come in- is there anything I can do for you?” Lila cringed, as she realized that this man probably didn’t know what was unfolding outside the bakery.

“Well yes, actually.” She said, “My name’s Lila…”

“Tom Dupain. It’s nice to meet you, Lila.” The man beamed, “Welcome to the bakery!”

“There’s an akuma out there… a _bad_ one.” Lila explained, and Tom Dupain’s eyes widened with concern, “Marinette sent me here and told me that it would be safe. She said that her parents own this bakery, and that her father would be here.” He immediately smiled, much to Lila’s relief, “I take it you know him?”

“Well of course I know him.” Tom laughed, “He’s me!”

“Wait…” Lila blinked. She mentally compared the visibly asian Marinette Dupain-Cheng that she’d met earlier with this gigantic white dude in front of her now, “You’re-”

“-Marinette’s father.” He affirmed, and smiled at her confusion, “My wife is a Chinese immigrant, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

_“Oh.”_ Lila felt embarrassed, “My apologies, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s no problem.” Tom laughed, but his humor quickly melted away, “Marinette said she was hanging out with Alya, and now you’re saying there’s an _akuma_ out there!?” Any lingering doubts that Lila might’ve had about Tom being Marinette’s father vanished when she got a look at the _worry_ in his bright blue eyes. This was a man worried about his daughter- no doubt about it.

Marinette was okay when I saw her.” Lila assured him, “We were with Adrien and Chloe- she’s going to make sure they get to safety too. They should all be here soon.”

“Adrien and Chloe?” Tom was surprised at both of their names, but let it go in favor of the more pressing issue, “What is she _thinking_ by staying out there!?” He stared at the entrance of the kitchen, clearly unsure if he should go out there and help, “We have superheroes for a reason… she doesn’t need to do this!”

It was clear that Tom wasn’t happy about his daughter’s actions. Lila had very limited experience with this family, but it sounded like Marinette was going to be in trouble if Tom was allowed to believe that his daughter was taking a needless risk. And given the way that Marinette had comforted her earlier, Lila couldn’t help feeling obligated to help her in return.

So Lila decided to defend her newfound friend, “Marinette will be fine out there- I’m _sure_ of it. She’s a lot tougher than she looks, and there was no sign of Ladybug anywhere.” Lila couldn’t help but relish in attacking the bug, even on something this minor, “And without Ladybug… Adrien and Chloe really looked like they were in trouble.” This was obviously an exaggeration- Lila hadn’t seen Adrien and Chloe since their group split up- but Lila figured this could only help Marinette’s case.

“You mean…” Tom’s jaw dropped, “Marinette was rushing… _straight into danger!?”_

“No, no, nothing like that!” Lila raised her hands defensively, “I think Adrien might’ve injured himself rushing out of the park- they could use the extra help, I’m sure of it!” She cursed herself for overplaying her hand, “You know Marinette… helping those in need.” The flattery was actually effective, as Tom seemed to relax against one of his ovens.

“But what about Alya?” Tom asked, worry creeping right back into his voice, “Marinette told me that’s who she was with when this all went down.”

Lila sighed internally. _You really owe me one, Marinette._

“I think Alya was feeling ill.” Lila concocted, only seventy percent sure that Alya was the brown skinned, red headed reporter with glasses that she’d met at school, “She ended up leaving early- Marinette probably would’ve gone with her, if Adrien wasn’t in our group.” She smiled smugly, fairly certain that Marinette’s father would know about her crush.

After all, Lila had only known Marinette for less than half an hour, and she _already_ knew all about the girl’s Adrien fetish. Not purely based on observation, either- Marinette had basically volunteered the information as soon as they were alone.

“Well, that’s in character.” Tom snorted, but gave Lila a curious look, “Do you know Marinette well?” He asked, as he hadn’t seen the Italian girl before, “You’ve clearly got a lot of confidence in her…”

“We just met today, actually.” Lila confessed, and realized that she should really spice things up to make it more convincing, “I’m new at Francois Dupont, and Marinette was really helpful in showing me around earlier. I ended up getting really upset over something at one point, and Marinette was there for me right away.” 

_Nice._ Lila beamed internally, as part of that was actually true.

“Marinette’s tough.” Lila reiterated, “She really took command of the situation when danger showed up.”

Tom smiled at Lila’s words, “I’m glad that you and Marinette hit it off. I keep hearing great things about her this year…” He shook his head wistfully, “If that girl could just stop skipping school, she’d be top of her class.”

“She’s a truant?” Lila asked, genuinely baffled, and Tom shrugged helplessly. He was just as confused by his daughter’s behavior as Lila was.

There was something deeply _intriguing_ about Marinette, that Lila had noticed from the moment they met. Marinette wasn’t doing anything inherently suspicious when they first saw each other in front of the elevator, but she clearly didn’t want to talk about her activities. She’d come from Mr. Cheng’s massage parlor, but only admitted it when Lila revealed that she’d seen Marinette walk out of there.

That was weird on its own, but Lila was willing to dismiss it. The girl had seemed like a bit of a spaz- shy about her feelings towards Adrien, clearly unsure of how to act in their group of four, but with a heart of gold that she showed by comforting Lila in the park. It was endearing, and Lila was more than happy to take her in as a friend / ally.

Lila had felt like she had Marientte pegged down… until the Eiffel Tower vanished. The shy girl had shifted her entire personality at the drop of a hat. Marinette took _command,_ issuing Lila orders and pledging to save her friends without hesitation.

It was surprising- and _intriguing._

“My wife should be back soon.” Tom said, but paused, “Maybe not, actually, if there’s an akuma out there. I should probably get back to working on these pastries.” He pointed to a stairwell behind Lila, “You’re more than welcome to stay here until things clear up. Marinette’s room is on the top floor, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you waited for her up there. I’ll send the others up once they get here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first "act" of the story should be ending in a couple of chapters here, and then it'll probably be a bit of a gap before I publish anymore chapters.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading!


	7. Father and Son (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is all?” The Collector cackled, as he managed to kick Chat Noir in the face, “For all that this city cherishes the two of you, I expected just a bit more of a fight…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that NONE of Season 2-3 are canon in this fic. Any lore or plot developments that were established in the show are fair game for me to change *cough* Adrien's mother *cough.*

“At least  _ one _ landmark is still standing.” Chat Noir remarked dryly, as the two heroes arrived at the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

“Better than nothing.” Ladybug agreed, as they perched on a building across the road.

The cathedral was still under reconstruction after a brutal fire earlier in the year, but it was clear that the akumatized villain hadn’t reached it yet. People were moving around in the streets below, still in a panic after seeing the more obvious landmarks vanish before, but things did seem to be improving as time went on. Probably because there was no  _ direct _ threat to their safety- at least not yet. One could never be too sure with Hawkmoth.

“He’s gotta be around here somewhere.” Chat Noir mused, looking around anxiously, “I’m pretty sure this is the only big one he hasn’t touched.”

“And even if there’s others, he’s bound to show up eventually.” Ladybug agreed, and her heart started racing as she realized that her and Chat were crouching  _ extremely _ close to each other. Their legs were practically rubbing against each other, and Ladybug was forced to stare at the cathedral so Chat wouldn’t notice her looking. This was nothing new for them- dangerous situations didn’t allow for personal space- but Ladybug’s newfound knowledge was enough to throw a wrench into everything.

“So… how was your afternoon?” Chat Noir broke the silence between them, and his voice was surprisingly soft, “I’m sorry I laid so much on you earlier. I didn’t think-”

“I thought we were talking about this ‘later?’” Ladybug arched an eyebrow, and Chat Noir simply shrugged, “I mean… my afternoon was  _ fine, _ I guess.” She couldn’t help but scoot away from him, a detail that didn’t go unnoticed.

“My afternoon was pretty eventful.” Chat Noir said, and sighed, “I’m supposed to be looking for a book right now- I stole it from my dad, and he found out about it.” Chat Noir gestured towards the setting sun, “He gave me until the ‘end of the day’ to find it, and I think that time’s probably up by now.”

“Ah- well, that’s not good.” Ladybug said, trying her best to sound natural but failing miserably. This was information that she already knew, and felt  _ terrible  _ about. Fortunately, Chat Noir didn’t seem to notice, “What exactly will he do if you can’t find it? Your father, that is.”

Chat Noir shook his head grimly, “It sounds dumb, but he was going to-”

“Ladybug! Chat Noir!” The two heroes snapped to attention when a loud voice called out their names, “Behold the power of…  _ the Collector!” _

This newcomer, the ‘Collector’ as he called himself, was standing several buildings away. He was looking down at the superhero duo, a derisive  _ sneer  _ on his face. The Collector wore black and gray- his entire costume slightly resembling a formal suit or tuxedo. His head was tall and pointed, and red tinted glasses covered his eyes. There was a large  _ book _ in his right hand, with a black and red patterned cover.

It wasn’t the  _ worst _ design Ladybug had ever seen on one of Hawkmoth’s villains, but she was still appalled, and was about to make some sort of quip about it, when she felt Chat Noir shift next to her. Chat Noir tensed the moment the villain spoke, his eyes widening with horror.

_ No… _ Chat Noir’s jaw dropped.

“That’s-” Chat stared at the villain, “It  _ can’t _ be!” Ladybug would’ve asked what he meant, if not for the utterly  _ broken _ look in her kitty’s eyes. Something had just shattered inside- killing Chat Noir for the moment, and leaving a terrified Adrien Agreste in his place. It was enough to throw Ladybug’s own confidence into question.

“I’m glad you’ve taken the time to join me.” The Collector grinned maliciously, “After all- I’m curious to see what two superheroes will look like in my book of inspiration!” He lobbed the book at his opponents like a frisbee.

“Look out!” Ladybug tackled Chat to the side, who didn’t seem to be reacting. The book flew past them, striking a small water tower and making it instantly vanish.

“Defeating the two of you will be child’s play…” The Collector gloated, as the book flew straight back to him like a boomerang.

_ “What’s wrong?” _ Ladybug whispered desperately, as her and Chat Noir tried to crawl back to their feet. They had landed in a somewhat precarious position- with Ladybug’s entire torso pressed against her partner’s face- but he didn’t seem to notice. Instead, Chat Noir continued to stare at the akumatized villain, his expression growing more and more hostile.

“Chat Noir! Talk to me!” This seemed to jolt him back to attention.

“It’s  _ him!” _ Chat hissed, and pointed at the villain, “Don’t you recognize the voice!?”

But before Ladybug could ask for clarification, the Collector leapt straight towards them, lobbing his book a second time. But this time, rather than dodging, Chat Noir grit his teeth. He extended his baton- gripping it like a baseball bat- and swung at the book in an attempt to directly counter the villain’s might.

“Foolish cat!” The Collector cackled, as the baton dematerialized. The book once again flew back to its owner, and Ladybug noticed something on the open page- a drawing of Chat Noir’s baton suddenly appeared as the weapon vanished.

“He’s turning his targets into drawings!” Ladybug called out, as Chat Noir stared in shock at his now-empty hand.

The Collector didn’t let up- he gripped his book like a melee weapon, and rushed towards Ladybug while taking a swing. She stepped back just in time, but would’ve fallen victim to the villain’s immediate follow-up jab if not for Chat Noir’s sudden roundhouse kick to the Collector’s face. The Collector grunted, stumbling backwards, giving Ladybug enough of an opening to tackle him- sending them both flying towards the street below.

“Get off of me,  _ insect!” _ The Collector growled, flinging Ladybug into oncoming traffic. And even as she was flying into the middle of the road, Ladybug had to admit that Chat Noir was right- his voice did sound familiar…

Ladybug twisted midair to land on her feet. Fortunately, the few cars still on the road were vigilant enough to stop before hitting their savior. She stared at the akumatized villain, slowly realizing  _ exactly _ where she’d heard that voice before-

“He’s Gabriel Agreste!” Chat Noir called, landing on the villain’s shoulders and desperately grabbing at the red-tinted glasses. He snatched the frames, immediately crushing them; he hoped against hope that a small black butterfly would emerge, ending the battle immediately. This proved futile, however, as the broken glasses served only to anger the Collector.

_ He’s your father. _ Ladybug froze, just like her partner had moments ago.

Chat Noir was forced to retreat, as the Collector swung his book viciously. He shifted targets quickly, turning his attention back to the still distracted Ladybug, “Cat got your tongue?” The Collector sneered, flinging the book yet again. Fortunately, there was still enough warning for her to sidestep the attack without issue.

_ And there’s proof of his innocence…  _ In the back of Ladybug’s mind, she felt slightly vindicated. She had sincerely doubted that Gabriel Agreste could be Hawkmoth, but this practically confirmed his innocence. As far as Ladybug knew, it should be  _ impossible _ for the Butterfly Miraculous holder to akumatized themselves- besides, why would they even if they could? The case was closed, as far as Ladybug was concerned.

The battle raged on. Chat Noir attacked boldly with his arms and legs- an effective fighter even without his baton- trying to knock the Collector off of his feet. Ladybug was less aggressive, picking her openings more judiciously, careful not to lose her yoyo. She hadn’t called for her Lucky Charm yet, but was growing more and more tempted as the fight continued. They weren’t at a disadvantage just yet, so she didn’t want to waste it, but both her and Chat were only one misstep away from becoming drawings in their enemy’s book.

The Collector, for his part, seemed to keep his cool despite Chat Noir’s relentless attacks, something rare for an akuma villain. He continued to lob quips and insults at the two heroes, but Ladybug quickly realized it was more about unbalancing them than pleasing him.

“This is all?” The Collector cackled, as he managed to kick Chat Noir in the face, “For all that this city  _ cherishes _ you two, I would’ve expected just a bit more…” Ladybug was forced to duck as the book flew past her for the upteenth time, “This is  _ pathetic- _ you’re unworthy of the gifts you’ve been given!”

Usually, Chat Noir would’ve been quick to respond with a quip of his own, and turn the Collector’s words against him. But not this time. Rather than pushing back, or even redoubling his attacks, Chat Noir simply stared at the Collector- or rather,  _ Adrien _ stared at his father. He was distracted by the villain’s words, and didn’t notice the grimoire flying at him again.

“Adr-  _ Chat Noir!” _ Ladybug cried out, but Chat’s enhanced reflexes failed him this time.

The book struck the feline hero, and he immediately suffered the same fate as all of the Collector’s other victims.

**********

A cool autumn breeze was blowing through the massive windows of the massive bedroom. The air was brisk and chilly, and having the windows open seemed to be an odd decision, but the wind was the only thing partially subduing the smell of new paint that permeated every corner of the apartment-sized territory. Everything was still brand new, and large segments of the bedroom still lacked any decorations at all, giving the enclosure a very blank atmosphere.

But as distracting as the wind and the smell and the emptiness all were, the sound of a vaguely haunting piano piece- Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” to be precise- was the only thing the room’s two occupants seemed to notice. For the tall man stood with his eyes shut, hyperfocused on every note that the seven year-old boy struggled to perform.

“Really?” Gabriel Agreste sighed, as the final notes were played. The small boy squirmed in the piano seat, looking around desperately. There was no help coming, however, as the stern man awaited his response.

“I’m sorry, Father!” Adrien tried to appease the man, “I really did practice this time… I  _ swear!” _

Gabriel shook his head, “No you didn’t.” Adrien opened his mouth to protest, and  _ insist  _ that he’d obeyed his instructions, but Gabriel held up a hand to silence him, “Your errors are the same as last time, Adrien. You may have sat in front of your piano and struck the keys for an hour, but you didn’t  _ practice.” _

It should’ve been an exciting day. Construction on this new house- a mansion, really- had ended about a week ago. This was slated to be the first night that the Agreste family spent in their new home, and Adrien had initially been  _ ecstatic. _ He’d never moved before, and was naturally a very curious boy.

However, after only a brief walkthrough to familiarize him with the floorplan, Adrien had been confined to his new bedroom. Gabriel had instructed him to carry on with business as usual, and that meant piano practice… and a lot of other practice- the man had spent part of the drive complaining that the chaos of moving could cause Adrien to fall behind on his studies. As soon as Gabriel was satisfied with piano, Adrien would be sent straight to his English tutor.

Adrien looked down at his feet, not sure what to say. He’d done what was asked of him- one hour of piano practice- but it apparently wasn’t enough, “Father… I thought-”

“I’ll be back in two hours.” Gabriel turned towards the door, “Hopefully by then you’ll have proven yourself worthy of the gifts you’ve been given.” Adrien’s eyes widened at the insult, but Gabriel merely continued to walk towards the exit, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, the movers still need my direction. It would seem that bringing your piano in the first truck was a needless contortion of their efforts- given that you clearly have no interest in making any use of it.”

“Wait!” Adrien called out, before he could exit, “Have you heard from Mom? She said that she’d be back by the end of the day…” Gabriel froze in front of the door, every muscle in his body immediately tensing. Adrien was still young, and quite ignorant of social cues, but even he could sense the shit in the man’s demeanor.

“Your mother…” Gabriel’s voice lost its previous snide, tightening instead as he pondered his words. The man was facing away, and Adrien could only stare at his back, totally unsure of what to expect.

“...Father?” Adrien nearly whispered, and Gabriel immediately shook his head.

“You just worry about your piano, Adrien.” He sighed, pinching his nose, “The English tutor called, and it looks like your lesson will be moved to tomorrow. You’ll be starting at your new fencing school on Thursday, and your next photoshoot will be on Friday.” Gabriel spared Adrien one last look, “I’ll be back later- hopefully you’ll make Beethoven proud next time?”

Adrien could only stare at his piano as Gabriel exited the room, leaving him alone in the massive expanse. Despite being only seven years old, this was already a familiar feeling.

**********

“No!” Ladybug stared in horror as Chat Noir dematerialized in front of her, reduced to a mere drawing in the Collector’s book.

“Heh. One down!” The Collector grinned, and opened the book to show Ladybug the image of her defeated partner. Chat Noir was still frozen in the artwork- his eyes were wide, as though he’d realized the attack at the absolute last second, but it was too late. Despite his best efforts, Adrien Agreste was now in the same place as all of his father’s other victims- reduced to mere ink and graphite on a magical book.

“You…” Ladybug was at a loss for words, but only for a moment, “You’ll pay for that!” She spun her yoyo, brandishing it like a shield. Adrien was gone, but that only became permanent if she failed to avenge him. As long as she could break the Collector’s akumatized object, and restore the damage he’d done, Adrien would come back.

“Get ready to join him!” The Collector laughed, lobbing his book straight at Ladybug. She ducked, letting it fly dangerously close to her back, before standing back up and throwing her yoyo.

The string wrapped around the Collector’s arm, giving Ladybug the opportunity to unbalance him with a powerful  _ yank. _ He stumbled, nearly falling over, but maintained his footing nonetheless. Ladybug was forced to duck a second time as the book came back like a boomerang yet again, nearly clipping her.

“It’s only a matter of time before you join your pet cat!” The villain taunted, as Ladybug dove behind a parked car for cover.

_ That’s your son! _ Ladybug wanted to scream at this man, and expose him to the atrocity he’d just committed, but she couldn’t. He obviously didn’t know that his child was the one he’d just… well,  _ killed,  _ but Adrien knew. Even if Ladybug managed to repair the damage caused by this fight  _ (she would!),  _ the damage to her partner’s psyche would still exist.

Like so many things before it, the car that Ladybug was hiding behind dematerialized the moment the Collector’s book struck it, leaving her exposed once again. She drew back her yoyo, slinging it at her opponent yet again, only for the Collector to leap several meters into the air to dodge. He caught his book midair, and swung it at Ladybug’s head, giving her only a fraction of a second to avoid the attack.

“Just give me your akuma!” Ladybug called out, trying to sweep the Collector’s legs out from under him, “We can all just go home-  _ gah!” _ She was forced to dodge as the book flew mere  _ centimeters _ from her nose.

They battled back and forth like this, neither combatant gaining a clear advantage. Ladybug had very limited options- without Chat Noir to cover her, she had no safe way to call on her Lucky Charm. She could only dodge his attacks and try to counter his attacks with brute force. More than half of her focus was wasted on that stupid  _ book- _ it seemed to have a mind of its own, targeting Ladybug with extreme prejudice. She was lucky to have stayed in the fight for this long.

But her luck quickly ran out…

Ladybug tripped as she tried to run, collapsing on the pavement right in front of the Collector. Her eyes widened in horror, as the Collector’s face filled with  _ glee. _ She of course rolled, desperate to avoid the attack that was certainly coming, but there was no way she’d be able to avoid this one. The Collector raised his hand, about to swing the book and end the battle-

The Collector suddenly blinked, as the book in his hand began to change color. Starting in the middle, and spreading to the sides quickly, a black wave seemed to consume the entire book… a Cataclysm! The book held its form for maybe a second longer, until it completely dissolved, reduced to nothing but a fine black powder that blew away in the wind.

Ladybug was dumbfounded, as the Collector cried out, “Nooooo!!!” A dark energy washed over him, leaving only a dazed Gabriel Agreste in his place, while a small black butterfly emerged from the ashes of the grimoire.

**********

“Well, I’m glad it all worked out.” Chat Noir’s voice was quiet, and Ladybug stared at him. The two of them were sitting on top of the newly restored Eiffel Tower, not far from where they’d fought Volpina. The sun had completely set now, but both the full moon and artificial lighting on the tower was more than ample for their purposes. 

Ladybug had just finished explaining everything that had happened after the Collector defeated him, and was more than a bit underwhelmed by his response. Chat Noir was still quiet- nothing like his usual self. He’d apparently found a way to use his Cataclysm from inside the Collector’s book, and hadn’t even jokingly bragged about his own cleverness. 

She’d invited him to come to the Eiffel Tower, just to talk about- well,  _ everything, _ but he just seemed numb. It was infuriating.

“That’s all you have to say?” She demanded, “Chat… you  _ died _ earlier-”

“And you brought me back.” Chat Noir said indifferently, and it was clear that he was in no mood to talk about any of this, “It’s nothing new, is it?”

“Nothing new!?” Ladybug spluttered, “You  _ can’t _ be serious!”

“Timebreaker, Princess Fragrance, the Puppeteer… I could go on.” Chat Noir dismissed, and gave a bit of a sigh, “Look… I’m sorry I let my guard down. I shouldn’t have let him get to me like that, but- well, I guess you know why that happened.” Chat Noir was not looking forward to the conversation with his father later. Not only would he be returning empty-handed; he would struggle to look at Gabriel Agreste in the same way ever again.

The silence was deafening, as the two heroes stared out at the city below. He was right- Ladybug knew  _ exactly _ why her partner had fallen. Adrien Agreste had just battled his own father, and that couldn’t have been easy. But all things considered, Ladybug wasn’t  _ nearly _ as concerned about that as she was about what he was saying now.

“That’s not what I mean.” Ladybug said, trying to sound stern but unable to stop the  _ hurt _ from bleeding into her voice, “You just died out there, and you’re acting unbothered. I don’t understand why you-”

“Oh, not  _ this _ again.” Chat Noir snapped, and gave her a nasty look, “I’d have thought that telling you my real name would be enough- I care about Adrien!”

Chat Noir had gotten mad at her before- rarely, but it did happen. Just today, for instance, they’d gotten into a pretty heated argument over what happened during the fight with Volpina. But this was the first time since Ladybug had learned his identity that Chat Noir raised his voice with her. And while that was never a pleasant experience, knowing that this was Adrien yelling was enough to set off alarms in her mind.

But even worse than his tone of voice, or even the volume, was the content of his words. Ladybug hated wondering if he really meant it when he said that he cared about Adrien- you know,  _ himself. _ She cared about him- both as Adrien and as Chat Noir- and seeing him like this was enough to make tears begin to form in her eyes.

Ladybug averted her eyes, blinking away the tears, “Well, you don’t sound like it…”

“Look, I’m just-” Chat Noir was about to snap at her again, but took a deep breath, “Ladybug, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so harsh.” He sighed, “His akumatized object… it was a book. I was the one that lost his book earlier, which means that I’m the reason this happened.”

_ And we’re back to the book. _ Ladybug’s mood somehow worsened, as she was reminded of the way Marinette had ruined Adrien’s relationship with his father. He was right- the missing book was  _ definitely _ the reason that Gabriel Agreste had been akumatized. Adrien had no idea that Ladybug was the true culprit behind the book’s disappearance, and naturally blamed himself.

Master Fu and his kwami had demanded that Ladybug keep Chat Noir in the dark about everything, an order that she grew more and more skeptical of as time went on. It was ostensibly because of that damned book yet again…

_ I know he’s not Hawkmoth, and neither is his father. So what’s the point? _

“It’s not your fault.” Ladybug mumbled, and Chat Noir tilted his head in confusion.

“Well… it is, actually.” Chat said, giving her a bewildered look, “I’m the one that stole the book in the first place, until-” He snorted, as he realized that Ladybug might find this bit interesting, “Well, until your new friend from Italy decided that she liked it.  _ Lila _ stole it from me this morning, and I haven’t seen it since. She’s either hiding it from me, or it’s gone forever…” Ladybug was only barely listening, as she grew more and more frustrated.

_ It’s been what… two hours, maybe, since I met Master Fu? I’m already sick of this. _

“Lila claimed that she threw it away in the park- the one where you confronted her.” Chat Noir continued to explain, “We searched a bunch of the trash cans, but we couldn’t find it. Maybe she was telling the truth, maybe not, but-” His eyes suddenly lit up, “Actually… Ladybug, this is a bit of a long shot, but is there any chance  _ you  _ saw the book? Lila’s saying she pitched it right before you showed up.”

_ This is so stupid. _

“Room 320.” Ladybug almost whispered, as she climbed to her feet.

“...what?”

_ “Room 320.” _ Ladybug snapped, and looked him dead in the eye, “The same apartment building that Lila lives in. Go to room 320.” Ladybug paused judiciously, not sure if she should reveal anymore, “If you’re looking for your book… I’d go there.”

“Lila’s apartment…” He blinked in confusion as he processed everything his partner had just said, “How do you know-  _ hey!” _ Chat Noir called out in surprise, as Ladybug leapt off of the Eiffel Tower.

Tikki wouldn’t be happy, but Marinette didn’t care. Chat Noir-  _ Adrien- _ deserved to know the truth, and Marinette wasn’t going to be the one to hide it from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! I really appreciate all of the comments/feedback, and I can't wait to publish more :)


	8. Your Mask...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien has a slightly different experience when he goes to meet the Master.

“Spots off…” Ladybug whispered, as she landed in the alley near her home. Her transformation dropped almost instantaneously, and Marinette extended her hand just in time to catch an indignant Tikki as she exited the earrings. The crimson-colored kwami was about to speak, but Marinette held up a hand to stop her.

“Before you say anything…” Marinette said, “I’m sorry I disobeyed you, but I  _ had _ to tell Adrien the truth. He deserves to know what happened to his book, and about where he got his Miraculous from.” Tikki tilted her head skeptically, but Marinette wasn’t done, “He told me that the book came from his father- you know, the guy who  _ just _ got akumatized, so he can’t be Hawkmoth.”

“That doesn’t sound like ‘sorry’ to me.” Tikki pointed out, “I know that you felt bad about knowing more than him, but we operate the way we do for a reason, Marinette.” Tikki shook her head, clearly growing more frustrated the more she thought about her wielder’s actions, “There’s also the reality that you might’ve just outed yourself as Ladybug… he  _ knows _ that Marinette came out of Room 320 earlier. Even if he doesn’t recognize it, Lila said it out loud.”

Marinette didn’t want to think about that right now, “Maybe, maybe not. I know his name, so I guess we’ll be even.”

“Just… I need to know something.” Tikki sighed   
  


“Um, sure?” Marinette blinked.

“If Chat Noir wasn’t Adrien…” Tikki began, choosing her words carefully, “Or if you still didn’t know his name- would you have still told him?”

Marinette scoffed dismissively, and Tikki gave her an unconvinced look, “Oh, don’t give me that, Tikki! Yeah, I like Adrien. That doesn’t mean I did it  _ because _ I like him.” Marinette shook her head, insulted by the suggestion, “Chat Noir is my partner, and him not being my crush wouldn’t be enough to make me keep him in the dark.”

Tikki didn’t answer immediately, simply electing to study Marinette’s face closely. But the girl held her ground- Tikki’s question was both insulting and unfair. Sure, she’d done some dumb things in the past because she liked Adrien, but this wasn’t the same. 

Tikki sighed, “Well, if you say so.” The kwami dove into Marinette’s purse, immediately putting an end to their conversation.

Marinette approached the Dupain-Cheng bakery apprehensively, silently panicking as she agonized over whether Lila was still in there. Even if she wasn’t, Marinette’s parents were almost certainly going to be displeased that it had taken her this long to get home. She looked at her purse, and considered trying to call them, but quickly decided against it- there were probably at least a dozen missed calls from her parents that would only serve to further her anxiety.

“Here goes nothing.” Marinette muttered to herself, as she unlocked the front door with her keys. 

The bakery was closed now, and the lobby was completely empty. Marinette walked through quietly, and took the quickest path to reach the stairs leading to her family’s home. They lived two floors above the bakery, and occupied all of the top levels- Marinette had lived here for her entire life, and honestly didn’t know where she would end up afterwards.

She took a deep breath, and opened the door to the family home, “Hello? Mom, Dad, I’m sorry I was out so long, I was just-”

“Marinette!” Her father’s voice caught her off guard, and her mother immediately beamed at the sight of her as well. They were both sitting at the dinner table, with what looked like desert- a souffle that must’ve been leftover once they closed for the night. But the desert wasn’t what caught Marinette’s eye-

“Hey Marinette!” Lila said happily, conveniently seated in Marinette’s usual spot in between her parents. 

Lila hadn’t left since she’d been commanded to take cover by Marinette earlier, and was actually enjoying herself. It was nice to spend time at what was clearly one of the higher tier bakeries in a city known for its food, and Marinette’s parents were both easy to get along with. The father, Tom, had been there when she arrived, and Sabine had shown up maybe twenty minutes later.

“We were so worried about you!” Sabine said, rushing over to hug her daughter, “I mean… Lila let us know that you were okay, but that akuma looked like a bad one.”

“She- she did?” Marinette blinked, as her mother wrapped her in a warm embrace.

“It was very heroic of you to go back for Adrien and Chloe.” Tom said, but looked sad as he stared at his plate, “I mean, I’d have obviously preferred that you take cover, and leave the hero work to the actual superheroes, but-”

“Adrien said that he probably wouldn’t have made it without her.” Lila interrupted, and gave Marinette a nod, “After the way he sprained his ankle, he really needed the help- Ladybug was nowhere to be found, of course. He texted me once the three of you were safely back at the Bourgeois hotel.” None of these details were even slightly true (except for the bit about Ladybug), but Tom and Sabine didn’t need to know that.

“Um… right.” Marinette reflexively went along with the story, “Yeah- Adrien and Chloe… we all hid at her family’s hotel.”

“That’s what Adrien said.” Lila nodded, and pointed at her phone.

Marinette couldn’t decide whether to feel guilty, angry, and grateful that Lila had lied on her behalf. Adrien obviously hadn’t been texting her anything- Marinette had been with him for basically the entire time since the battle began- but that hadn’t stopped Lila from using his word as an alibi. It was a pretty solid excuse,  _ especially _ since Marinette’s parents approved of her crush, but it still felt wrong.

The main reason Marinette didn’t like Lila was the way that she lied. Did it make her a hypocrite that she was willing to go along with one of those very deceptions when it was to her own benefit?

“So… what have you three been up to?” Marinette decided to shift the conversation.

Lila immediately smiled, “I got to see your room- the decor was certainly…  _ unique.” _ Marinette’s face reddened, “I promise I didn’t touch any of your projects, but they all looked  _ super  _ cool. Those gloves on your desk had just the cutest design- they were pawprints, right?”

“Yeah, they’re um- styled after Chat Noir.” Marinette shifted, extremely uncomfortable at the idea of Lila leafing through her stuff under  _ any _ circumstances, and especially when Marinette wasn’t around to monitor. She had definitely seen all of the photos of Adrien everywhere, and probably anything else that Marinette wouldn’t want her to notice.

“Your mother got back a little bit later.” Tom explained to his daughter, “We’ve basically just been chatting and preparing dinner since then.”

“Lila told us about how you helped show her around school today.” Sabine said, giving a hum of approval, “That was very nice of you, and you’ve obviously done a  _ fantastic _ job at making her feel welcome.”

“That’s for sure.” Lila nodded, and gave Marinette a warm smile. She was able to return the gesture, but she felt like she’d stepped into the matrix- Lila had done such a thorough job in lying to her parents that Marinette actually had to remind herself that none of it was actually true. It was  _ creepy, _ and Marinette had no choice but to go along with it.

“That reminds me- what about Alya?” Tom asked suddenly, sounding slightly concerned, “Lila mentioned that she fell ill earlier-”

“Before the akuma attacked.” Lila explained, “Marinette remembers- Alya had stomach pains, and had to go home.” She shook her head sadly, “It’s a shame… she seems like such a nice girl, and we were really hitting it off.”

“R-Right.” Marinette was astonished that Lila had saved her on that front as well, “I think she’s feeling better now… I hope, that is-”   
  


“That’s a relief.” Lila said solemnly, and looked at Marinette’s parents graciously, “Well, since Marinette’s back now, and everything’s well, I should probably get going. Thanks so much for the dinner and company!” She gave Marinette a nod, “I’ll be seeing you tomorrow?”

“Your parents must be worried sick.” Sabine nodded, and Lila’s smile faded for the first time since Marinette had arrived. It was only for a split second- Sabine and Tom clearly didn’t notice it- but it was unmistakable.

“They must be…” Lila muttered to herself, and began to walk towards the door. She was about to open it, when Marinette put a firm hand on her shoulder. The dark-haired girl’s expression was intense as she regarded Lila, and she quickly realized that this visit wasn’t over yet. Lila was going to be answering some questions.

“Actually, Lila?” Marinette gestured to the upstairs, “I was hoping we could talk a little bit before you go. If you really liked my projects, I have a few more you might want to see…”

**********

Despite being a superhero, Adrien couldn’t help but feel nervous roaming the city at night. He wasn’t transformed right now, and had only a minimal understanding of the city’s geography when he wasn’t on the rooftops. Moreover, his father had done an adequate job of making Adrien fear Paris after dark,  _ especially _ when he was alone. His bodyguard wasn’t with him right now, and Adrien had only been taught rudimentary self-defense.

He certainly would’ve preferred to make this journey as Chat Noir, but Plagg needed to recharge after the battle with the Collector.

“I somehow doubt your father would approve of you being out this late… or this  _ cold.” _ Plagg grumbled, as Adrien stared at the apartment building in front of him. He’d been in there just a couple of hours ago, with Chloe, but he still found himself hesitating. His earlier visit to this place had been of his own volition, but now  _ Ladybug  _ was the one sending him here.

She’d told him that this was the right place to go “if he was looking for his book,” which opened up a dictionary’s worth of new questions. First and foremost: how would Ladybug know  _ anything _ about this book? Unfortunately, his partner hadn’t stayed behind to explain anything, vanishing into the night just a few moments after her cryptic comments.

“Well, Father isn’t here right now, is he?” Adrien muttered back, and shoved Plagg back into his jacket pocket with his cheese, “I think he has a few  _ other _ things on his plate right now. And besides- I’m still looking for his book, just… in the late evening.” It was completely dark outside now, a bit past ‘evening,’ meaning that Plagg should be almost entirely camouflaged, but Adrien still wasn’t going to take any chances.

The battle with the Collector was still on his mind as he entered the lobby on his own. His father had made it obvious that the book of superheroes was important to him- Adrien had no idea  _ why, _ but the threat of serious punishment certainly put that question on the backburner. It stung Adrien to realize that the loss of the book had been enough to akumatize his father, probably after he realized that Adrien wouldn’t be able to return it.

He couldn’t help but wonder if his father would be this upset if it were Adrien that he lost, and not some ratty old book-

_ Stop. _ Adrien chided himself, as he walked past several old people chatting in the lobby, and into the elevator. He knew that his father cared about him. Gabriel Agreste was  _ distant, _ to be sure, but he wasn’t unloving. Adrien’s father had taken care of every physical need he could imagine, and given him a childhood with unrivaled opportunity. He certainly meant well, even if he didn’t express his emotions well-

_ “Sometimes, meaning well isn’t enough.” _ Chloe had said that to him earlier, in this very elevator.

Adrien shook his head, sighing aloud. Now wasn’t the time for self-pity, or an in-depth analysis of his daddy issues. Right now, he needed to find that book. Ladybug had told him to look in room 320, for whatever reason, and that was now his only lead.

“Room 320, right?” Plagg poked his head out again, looking down the hallway curiously as the elevator door opened. Adrien simply nodded as he began to walk towards his destination. Lila’s apartment was of course in this same hallway, which made him wonder if she was in some way involved. After all- Lila had confessed to stealing the book already, and it certainly wouldn’t be out of her wheelhouse to hide some of the details.

He finally reached the room in question, and was about to knock when he paused, “Wait… Plagg, this is-” Adrien hesitated, looking over his shoulder, “I’m about ninety percent sure that this is the room Marinette was in earlier… she said that they give massages here?” He had no idea what possible connection the dark-haired girl might have to all of this… if any. It could just be a weird coincidence.

“Are you gonna knock?” Plagg looked up at Adrien, an indiscernible expression on his small black face. If Adrien didn’t know better, the kwami looked… excited?

“Um, I guess?” Adrien cleared his throat, and proceeded to rap his knuckles against the hard wooden door, “You are juiced up and ready to go, right?”

Plagg snorted, as though the possibility of Adrien needing to transform was amusing, “Just say the word, and you’re Chat Noir.”

For whatever reason, Adrien’s heart started to beat faster. He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side of that door- he hoped it was his father’s book- but he felt inexplicably nervous about it. Ladybug certainly wouldn’t have sent him into harm’s way on purpose, but something felt…  _ off, _ about all of this. Even if it wasn’t dangerous, Adrien couldn’t help but feel like it was something a lot more significant than he was ready for.

Nobody answered. Adrien hesitated, and raised his hand to knock a second time, when the door suddenly swung wide open, causing the blond model to  _ flinch. _ The room was completely dark, and there was no discernable sound coming from within.

“Um… hello?” Adrien called into the darkness, but there was no response. It was as if the door had opened itself, but that shouldn’t be possible. He looked down questioningly, to get Plagg’s thoughts, but the kwami had retreated out of view. Apparently this dilemma was something that Adrien had to solve on his own.

“Is anybody in there?” Adrien asked, and he took a hesitant step inside. But the moment he was clear of the entrance, the door  _ slammed _ back shut behind him, prompting the boy to jump in surprise. The light pouring in from the hallway vanished completely when the door closed, and Adrien couldn’t even see anything through the cracks in the frame as one might expect.

The room was now cloaked in  _ complete _ darkness, and Adrien fumbled for his cell phone to switch on a light-

_ “Chat Noir.” _ A low voice seemed to come from all around, and Adrien looked around frantically to find its source, dropping his phone in surprise. Not only was there an unknown element in this room- although that was scary enough on its own- whatever was out there clearly knew his true identity, making it doubly dangerous.

“Plagg, claws out!” Adrien exclaimed, and the green light of his transformation provided him with a brief glance at his surroundings. He blinked- this looked nothing like he’d have expected. Rather than wallpaper and carpet, Chat Noir was surrounded by what looked to be  _ stone, _ and the ceiling extended much higher than the regulation sized apartment he was supposed to be standing in. He quickly realized that the night vision granted by his Miraculous would be irrelevant- even that required  _ some _ light.

But just as the light of his transformation faded, presumably drowning him in darkness yet again, it was replaced by something far more constant:  _ fire. _ One by one, what must’ve been a dozen different braziers, each towering at least seven meters off the ground and forming a circle around his position all came to life. Sure enough, Chat Noir was standing on stone, and the walls and ceiling were much higher than they were supposed to be. The feline hero whirled around, and was astonished to realize that the door he’d entered through was completely gone.

“You’re here…” A voice came from behind, and Chat Noir turned back around. In the middle of the circle of braziers was a small campfire, and behind that fire sat a small green figure. He was resting on a small log, and his head was bowed. A large, solid-looking round hat obscured his face from Chat’s view, and he was clutching something rectangular to his chest that Chat Noir couldn’t immediately identify.

“What’s going on?” Chat Noir growled, and drew his baton- fortunately restored by Ladybug after the fight with the Collector, “Who are you, and how do you know who I am?”

The man chuckled, “In good time, Adrien. For now… call me Jade Turtle.” He rose to his feet, setting the rectangular object down on the log behind him, “I had a feeling I’d be seeing you… but not this soon, I must admit.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chat Noir spat, but his mind began to whirl with possibilities. Did Ladybug know this man? Was he a threat? He had no idea what was going on here, but he didn’t like it.

“I explicitly commanded Ladybug not to bring you here.” Jade Turtle said, his voice almost completely emotionless.

Chat Noir clutched his baton tightly, growing more and more nervous, “Ladybug doesn’t take ‘commands’ from you, and neither do I.”

“No indeed.” Jade Turtle said grimly, and he reached up to take the hat off his head. Chat Noir quickly realized that said ‘hat’ was in fact not a hat, but rather a gigantic green  _ shield. _ The man was clearly old, and Chat blinked as he realized that he might actually be less than five feet tall. There was a small green mask covering his eyes, and a very small beard was protruding from the tip of his chin.

The mask was what caught Chat Noir’s attention, however.

“Your mask…” Chat Noir blinked, “It looks like-”

“-yours?” Jade Turtle chuckled, and assumed a combative stance, “Indeed it does.”

Chat Noir opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when the little man  _ rushed. _ Chat had good reflexes, and moved to defend himself, but it wasn’t fast enough. The Jade Turtle kicked Chat Noir straight in the stomach, causing him to double over in shock as the wind was knocked out of him. The man quickly followed up- swinging his shield and slapping Chat Noir’s face with the flat part- knocking him flat onto his back.

The attacks were certainly powerful- that much was certain. But Chat Noir was shocked to notice that neither of this strange man’s attacks had actually  _ hurt. _ Sure, his Miraculous protected him from most incoming damage, but he usually felt  _ something. _

“What are you doing!?” Chat demanded, and was only barely able to roll in time as the man slammed his shield down onto the stone where Chat Noir was lying only seconds ago. He was able to roll back to his feet quickly- catlike, if he could say so himself- and raised his baton to counter another attack. Sparks flew as the shield and baton clashed, but Chat Noir was able to hold his own. 

His mind raced- desperate to make sense of everything that was happening, “Why didn’t that hurt me?”

“Not bad.” Jade Turtle laughed, pulling back from their clash, and rolling back towards the campfire, “You weren’t prepared for my attack… but you seem to have regained your footing. As for why you remain unharmed- let’s just say that this is a special place.”

“Well, I could’ve told you that much.” Chat Noir shot back, but he was still incredibly tense, “But I can’t imagine that  _ all _ of your guests get to play in the dark like this.”

He had no idea what he was up against… or where he even was. His opponent was strong and fast, and somehow able to compete with Chat Noir’s superpowers. He could only assume that this man had a Miraculous like his own- maybe based on a turtle? The name he’d given certainly agreed with that theory.

“No, not all my guests.” The warrior shook his head, disappointed that Chat Noir hadn’t continued to battle him, “It would seem that you still need some incentive to show me your fullest strength.” Jade Turtle looked at the log he’d been sitting on when Chat Noir arrived, “Although I suspect that this might do the trick…” He picked up the rectangular object from earlier, and Chat squinted to recognize it.

Chat Noir’s eyes immediately widened, “That’s… where did you get that!?”

“You don’t even know what this is.” Jade Turtle’s eyes had a certain steel to them, as though he was challenging his opponent to prove otherwise, “And if you want it back… you will have to prove yourself worthy.” Jade Turtle waved Gabriel Agreste’s book tauntingly, and beckoned Chat Noir to approach.

“This is a test.” Chat Noir realized, and the Jade Turtle nodded as he brandished his shield. Chat Noir quickly assumed a combative stance of his own, drawing his baton for the second time. He spun his weapon while he extended it, breaking the magical instrument into two smaller pieces- his attacks would now carry less weight, but they would be significantly faster. Whether that would be a more effective strategy against the Jade Turtle or not remained to be seen, but it was good to mix up his fighting style from time to time.

Silence sat between them for a long moment, as Chat Noir considered his next move. In all of the confusion that came with teleporting to a “special place,” he had nearly forgotten about his original reason for coming here. He didn’t know how or why Jade Turtle had his father’s book, or why he was being tested, but he  _ did _ know that he wasn’t going anywhere without that book.

“Step forward, Adrien Agreste- Paris’s own  _ Chat Noir.” _ The Jade Turtle commanded, and the feline was happy to oblige…

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second post this weekend because I had wayyyy too much caffeine. I'm really happy about how this story has been received so far- I was worried that my handling of Lila would be controversial, since she's so evil in the canon, but I'm thrilled that so many people are interested!


	9. I'm Not Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It was just-” Marinette scrambled to think of a good excuse, “I was shopping… for a gift… for my parents. That’s why-”
> 
> “Woooow.” Lila whistled, shaking her head incredulously, “You really did need my help today. Maybe just call me every time you need to fool somebody?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit exposition heavy, and I ended up rewriting it a couple of times. Just let me know if there are any glaring errors (repeated lines, unclear dialogue, etc.). Hope you enjoy!

Chat Noir was still trying to wrap his mind around everything that was happening as he redoubled his attacks against the Jade Turtle. Adrien had no idea what to expect when he arrived in Room 320, but this definitely wasn’t it. Ladybug’s intel was correct- his father’s book was here- but Chat Noir had definitely wandered into something far more serious than he could’ve imagined.

He still had no idea what was happening- not really. But combat was a universal language, and that was apparently how Jade Turtle wanted to communicate right now.

“Not bad.” Jade Turtle said, as he repelled Chat Noir’s onslaught, “Your form is very conventional… you have been trained, at least to an extent.” Chat Noir struck with the baton piece in his left hand, very nearly getting past the old man’s defences, but the Jade Turtle was far more nimble than he appeared. The attack was deflected, and Chat’s target quickly pivoted out of range before he could follow up.

“With fencing, maybe. Not magical pole-vaulting.” Chat Noir spun his weapons, and threw one of them straight at the retreating turtle, aiming it towards the arm holding his father’s book. 

Jade Turtle turned the moment the baton was near him, and swatted it right out of the air with his shield. Sparks flew as the two weapons met, and the baton clattered to the ground- far out of the feline hero’s reach. Chat still had the other side, and was only barely able to block his opponent’s next attack.

“And yet you seem proficient in both trades.” The man challenged, and he _leapt,_ flying several meters above Chat’s head before chucking the shield straight at his skull.

“Some days more than others.” Chat Noir snorted, as he rolled out of the way. While the Jade Turtle was still recovering, he dove for the other half of his baton- still near the campfire in the middle of the arena. Chat Noir grabbed the blunt instrument and reattached it to the half he still had to create one larger weapon again. He quickly assumed a defensive stance, spinning the baton to make a shield of his own.

All things considered, Chat Noir wouldn’t have been terribly upset with how things were going- if not for the fact that Jade Turtle was fighting him with _one hand._

“You _must_ do better.” Jade Turtle waved the book at his opponent tauntingly.

“And you _must_ tell me something.” Chat Noir demanded as he approached Jade Turtle for a second bout, “I’m guessing that you have a Miraculous-”

“This is true.”

“-So where have you been, exactly?” Chat asked, as he extended his baton towards the green warrior in an attempt to strike his stomach, “You know my secret identity, and Hawkmoth doesn’t, so I have to assume that you’re not my enemy.” Jade Turtle easily sidestepped the attack, and flung his shield at Chat Noir for the second time.

“Bold assumption.” Jade Turtle chuckled, as Chat Noir leapt over the projectile, “Perhaps I learned your identity from Ladybug-” Chat blinked as he landed, “-and I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to expose you to the world.”

It was clearly an empty threat, but Chat Noir still couldn’t help but feel nervous. It was the second person today to have learned his real name, and unlike with Ladybug he had absolutely no idea who Jade Turtle really was. He meant what he said- this man didn’t seem to be an enemy- but that didn’t make him above all suspicion.

Most concerning, however, was the thing Jade Turtle had said about his partner…

“So you really do know Ladybug…” Jade Turtle had referenced this idea earlier, but Chat had been hesitant to believe him. He was even more skeptical of the idea that Ladybug was the one to reveal his identity, “I _know_ she didn’t tell you my name.”  
  


“Your partner did not expose you- we merely had a pleasant chat.” Jade Turtle, now without a shield, jumped towards Chat Noir with a roundhouse kick that he was only barely able to duck under. He wasn’t able to avoid the next attack, however- a quick punch to his gut caused Chat Noir to double over, “It was from her that I learned about your connection to this book.”

“She-” Chat Noir gasped for air, “Ladybug told you about this book?”

“She’s the one that brought it to me in the first place.” Jade Turtle said simply, as he walked past Chat Noir nonchalantly to retrieve his shield.

Chat Noir was still struggling to regain his breath, but that didn’t stop his mind from racing. _Ladybug_ was the one to steal the book!? No, it couldn’t be. She wouldn’t do that to him… would she? Lila was the one to steal the book- she had literally _admitted_ to it!

“That’s not true.” Chat Noir grunted, as he turned to face Jade Turtle yet again. The green warrior was waiting patiently, having successfully reclaimed his shield near the campfire. The light of the braziers gave his face a haunting glow that made everything seem even less credible, “Ladybug’s not a thief- and she wouldn’t have given it to you even if she was. Lila had my book, and you live just down the hallway from her.”

Jade Turtle shook his head, “Adrien, you do not understand.”

“Then maybe, just _maybe,_ you could spend more time _explaining,_ and less time bashing my skull with a magical turtle shell?”

“Touche.” The man tilted his head, and then nodded in agreement, “I’ve sampled your abilities well enough… and your spirit.”

Before Chat Noir could respond with something witty, the Jade Turtle snapped his fingers. In an instant, the entire dark backdrop began to shift- almost as though it was melting away. The fiery braziers and campfire were all extinguished, and the space seemed to shrink at an unbelievably fast rate. The soft illumination of incandescent light bulbs replaced the harsh glow of the fire, and the background quickly filled up with apartment-grade furniture.

“Whoa…” Adrien was even more confused now, and almost didn’t notice that his Chat Noir transformation had vanished as well. Plagg was now floating next to him, and the Jade Turtle had been replaced by a kindly-looking Chinese man.

“We have now exited the Guardian’s Sanctuary.” The man explained, “It takes on whatever form I desire, and only those I invite can enter. No physical harm can befall any of its occupants, and it is the only location in which I can still transform.” He gestured to their current space, “I welcome you to my humble abode.”

**********

“Somebody seems a bit less than pleased.” Lila said dryly, as Marinette slammed the trapdoor to her bedroom. Marinette had stopped her from leaving moments ago- Lila could only guess that she was about to get chewed out, for obvious reasons.

Marinette glared at her suspiciously, “You’d almost think that somebody had been in my bedroom, _alone,_ without my permission.”

“Got something to hide?”

“You tell me!” Marinette waved her arms at the pink bedroom like a madwoman, “Did you find any contraband, officer?”

“Well, that depends on the definition.” Lila said, cupping her chin in mock thoughtfulness as she grabbed a photograph off of Marinette’s desk. Lila didn’t even look before grabbing, but it was _of course_ an image of Adrien Agreste, “Does French law classify this as stalking? If you took these pictures yourself, without consent, this could be a violation-”

“Give me _that.”_ Marinette snatched the photo away, scowling as she pushed past Lila to set it back where it belonged, “And for the record, I got this out of a magazine. It’s completely legal!”

“I take it you checked?”

“It was _published.”_ Marinette snapped, and Lila burst out laughing.

“Easy.” Lila raised her palms to indicate surrender, “I’m just pulling your leg a bit. I promise I didn’t go rifling through all of your stuff… your ‘guest of honor’ is just that unmissable.” Marinette couldn’t help reddening slightly, but Lila fortunately chose to ignore it, “I like your room. It’s got a bit of a pre-teen vibe to it, but it’s unapologetic enough that it still works.”

“Now _that’s_ a left-handed compliment if there ever was one.” Marinette sighed, and took a deep breath to stop herself from getting more angry. Lila certainly had an attitude, but had she really done anything? Marinette was the one to tell her to take cover at the bakery, and her father was the one to send Lila up here. She had no idea if Lila had actually looked at anything else- after all, this girl was verifiably dishonest- but it wasn’t like there was anything else to hide beyond the obvious.

Lila put a hand on Marinette’s shoulder, and gave her a smug smile, “I think we’re even, by the way. Covering up all of your little falsehoods-” Marinette had to suppress a snort at the irony, “-isn’t as easy as I made it look.”

As much as it hurt to admit, Lila really had done her a favor there. If Marinette’s parents had found out that she wasn’t really with Alya earlier, she could’ve been grounded. And when Paris’s safety hinged on Ladybug’s freedom to respond to crises when they appeared… getting punished like that really wasn’t an option.

“You have something to say?” Lila asked, pretending to think about it, “Maybe some way of expressing your gratitude-”

“Thank you.” Marinette said, slightly begrudgingly, and Lila beamed.

“You’re welcome.” Lila gave her a teasing pat, before taking a seat on Marinette’s chaise lounge without permission, “Why did you lie, by the way? It’s totally cool if I can’t know, but you’ve got me curious.” Marinette had been acting suspicious from the moment her and Lila met, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

_Whether Marinette decides to share or not…_

“It was just-” Marinette scrambled to think of a good excuse, “I was shopping… for a gift… for my parents. That’s why-”

“Woooow.” Lila whistled, shaking her head incredulously, “You really did need my help today. Maybe just call every time you need to fool somebody?”

Marinette spluttered, desperately trying to think of a way to rebound, but Lila just started laughing at her expression. It was a surprisingly genuine laugh, considering the circumstances. Lila had just called Marinette out for _blatantly_ lying to her, but didn’t seem even slightly bothered. It was as though shameless falsehood was a game for her- just a part of banter among friends.

“Like I said- no pressure if you don’t want to share.” Lila poked at one of Marinette’s stuffed animals curiously, “This guy’s cute… is he supposed to be a panda?”

“It’s for the girl I babysit.” Marinette said tightly, uncomfortable with the change in topic.

“Responsible.” Lila gave a hum of approval, “Class president, babysits, takes care of her classmates, a hard-working young artist… Marinette Dupain-Cheng seems to be a regular paragon, if I do say so myself.” Lila set the panda doll back down, and shifted her gaze right back towards her host.

“I’m not perfect.” Marinette said reflexively, and Lila smiled knowingly.

“A truant, according to your father.”

Everything Lila said felt somewhat _layered,_ as if she was conveying slightly more than what she actually said. Case in point- she clearly wasn’t just making an observation about Marinette’s attendance record. Lila was _suspicious,_ and Marinette couldn’t help but freak out about it. She had a lot to lose if Lila started figuring things out.

“Do you have a point?” Marinette did her best to sound more exasperated than panicked, “Or are we going to spend the rest of the night discussing my various flaws?”

“I’m sure that it wouldn’t take long.” Lila said with a chuckle, and finally rose back to her feet, “But to answer your question: _no,_ I don’t have a point. I’m just making small talk with my new friend in a new city.”

“Sweet of you.” Marinette said dryly, as Lila rose to her feet.

“Well, if that’s all…” Lila gestured towards the trapdoor, “I really should be getting back to my apartment. It is late, after all.”

“Right.” Marinette nodded, willing to end the conversation on a polite note, “You take care of yourself, Lila. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Count on it, Marinette.” Lila gave one last smile, before vanishing back into the bakery below.

Marinette waited, probably a solid _minute,_ just to make sure that Lila was really gone. And then, just to be sure, she looked out her window- not satisfied until she caught a glance of the brown-haired girl walking in the direction of her own apartment.

“I don’t like her.” Tikki remarked, finally emerging from Marinette’s purse.

“She did help me out.” Marinette sighed, shaking her head as she started to change into her night clothes. It had been a long day, to say the least, and it was just now that the girl could begin to process how _tired_ she really was. Between two akuma fights, learning Adrien’s identity, meeting Master Fu, and meeting Lila… it was almost more than she could process.

A part of her was afraid to go to sleep, as the world she would wake up to was now forever different… Adrien was Chat Noir, there were more Miraculous, the new girl at school was her ‘friend,’ and a small Chinese man was the reason for her mysterious powers.

"My room does _not_ have a preteen vibe." Marinette muttered, as she tucked herself in for the night.

**********

The room was far closer to what Adrien had been expecting when he first entered- small, decorated with a lot of traditional Chinese items, and a small sign explaining that this establishment gave massages. It was basically what Marinette had described earlier.

“My name is Master Wang Fu, and I am not your enemy, Adrien.” Jade Turtle’s civilian identity bowed his head respectfully, as he took a seat on a small matt in the middle of the room- exactly where the log had been moments ago in the arena, “And now that we’ve had the chance to chat… I’m confident that you’re not my enemy, either.”

“You thought I could be your enemy?” Adrien tilted his head in confusion, “I don’t even _know_ you. How could I-”

“I will explain.” Fu raised a hand to quiet the boy as he began to sip some tea, “Given the way that events unfolded today… and the information I learned from Ladybug, I had reason to be concerned about your situation. I still do, actually- but now that you’re here there’s little I can do about it now that you’re here.”

“Whatever _that_ means.” Adrien folded his arms defiantly, “Really? ‘The way events unfolded today?’ ‘Concerned about my situation?’ You might as well have not said anything…”

“Our battle, back in the Guardian’s Sanctuary.” Master Fu ignored the sarcasm, “I was testing your _spirit_ above all else, as well as your body. Evil does not possess you… I’m sure of that now.”

“Good to hear! Still doesn’t answer my questions.”

“This grimoire.” Fu tapped Gabriel Agreste’s spellbook, “Its origins concern me. I originally believed that whomever controlled this spellbook _must_ also control the Peacock and Butterfly Miraculous.” Adrien blinked in confusion, so the master quickly followed up, “Put more simply… I was concerned that the owner of this spellbook could be Hawkmoth himself. Clearly that is not the case.”

_That can’t be true. That book belongs to-_

“Hold on a second!” Adrien protested, nearly dropping his teacup, “I got that book from my father… he _can’t_ be Hawkmoth!”

“It is unlikely.” Master Fu agreed, and showed Adrien a tablet screen, “If I’m not mistaken, it is Gabriel Agreste who was just akumatized.”

On the screen was a news report showing the battle with the Collector- something Adrien had _almost_ forgotten about in the ensuing chaos. His past self and Ladybug were moving as quickly as possible, desperate to avoid his father’s deadly piece of literature. Chat Noir couldn’t help but feel a knot in his stomach as he remembered just how spectacularly he’d _choked_ at the end of the fight.

“Now’s a good time to make my presence known.” Adrien jumped as a small green creature emerged from behind the master’s back. He gave Adrien a polite nod, “A pleasure to meet you, Chat Noir. I am Wayzz-”

“You’re a kwami!” Adrien said, completely blindsided (and happy for the distraction). Jade Turtle had confirmed that he had a Miraculous already, but the idea of another kwami hadn’t even crossed his mind. Ladybug had mentioned in passing a long time ago that she had one- _Tikki,_ if he wasn’t mistaken, but he was still awestruck to actually meet one not named Plagg. 

Unlike Plagg, this kwami was green, and clearly themed after a turtle. There was a small shell on his back, and his eyes glowed a bright yellow. “Indeed I am a kwami.” Wayzz nodded proudly, “Combined with Master Fu’s Miraculous-” He gestured towards a bracelet on the old man’s wrist, “-I can grant the power of _protection.”_

Adrien was still fascinated, and momentarily forgot his frustrations as he studied the kwami, “Do you like cheese too? You don’t seem anything like Plagg…”

The kwami in question seemed half-asleep, bored out of his mind by this conversation, something that was oddly comforting for Adrien. The fact that Plagg remained unconcerned about all of this was enough to put him at ease- if Plagg was panicking, or angry in any way, Adrien would’ve probably transformed again.

“Yeah, and you’re nothing like your father, either.” Plagg spoke for the first time, yawning lazily as he looked around, “And _no,_ Wayzz inherited none of my good taste in dairy-”

“Wait.” Adrien interrupted, looking between Wayzz and Plagg with even more wonder, “You two are… father and son?”

“Only if you use the most… _human_ definitions possible.” Wayzz said tightly, and paused for a moment to consider his words, “It is true that my existence- and the existence of all other kwamis too- is the result of Tikki and Plagg’s… well, cosmic _unification,_ but to call me his son is an oversimplification. I was never an infant, and only was spawned into existence when the first person to unite Tikki and Plagg’s power craved protection.”

“You should come give your daddy a hug.” Plagg snickered, and Wayzz just sighed.

That was a lot to comprehend, and Adrien could only stare in awe as he tried to understand it. Hearing Plagg say “daddy” was certainly something that he could’ve done without, but he was still fascinated by all of this. Disappearing rooms? More kwamis? Cosmic unification? Just when Adrien had thought that his day couldn’t get any more interesting…

Master Fu sat quietly, smiling at Adrien’s interest, and waited patiently for them to finish.

“I’m still so confused…” Adrien hesitated, as he shifted his gaze back to the master, “How do you know Ladybug? How come you know my secret identity? Why do you have a Miraculous?”

“I know both you and Ladybug for the same reason.” Master Fu explained, and gestured towards the ring on Adrien’s finger, “I am the last Guardian of the Miraculous… and the man who granted you access to Plagg and his power.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snarky Lila is fun to write.


	10. What More Do You Want From Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “My regular business activities will be slightly delayed, but I don’t think-”
> 
> “That’s not what I mean.” Adrien’s voice became desperate, “Father… I didn’t realize I’d upset you that much. You’re so closed off these days, and now I’m- well, I’m worried about you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you have any big questions about Adrien and Fu's conversation. If there's anything glaring that I missed, I'm more than happy to fill you in. I just didn't want to waste more screen time in Fu's apartment during this chapter.

Night had fallen in Paris when Emilie Agreste finally reached the mansion. The driver of her taxi seemed thoroughly astonished by the sheer size of the brand new estate- to the point of embarrassment for the vehicle’s sole passenger. Emilie came from great wealth, but it was never something she liked to flaunt- She simply gave the driver a soft smile as she exited the vehicle, not wanting to make a fuss about it.

This was to be her family’s first night in this new property, and Emilie was eager to see what her husband had scraped together in her absence. She’d seen the property before, and even looked at the floorplans with Gabriel, but she hadn’t actually seen it put together yet. It was late right now, so she might have to wait until morning, but it was still exciting-

“You’re here…” Her husband’s voice was hoarse as she finally walked up the steps to the mansion’s entrance. Gabriel was sitting on the top step, a painfully  _ tired _ look in his eyes that caused Emilie to immediately realize that he’d been waiting outside for some time now- he really should’ve known better by now.

“Gabriel, where’s your jacket?” She demanded, as the man in question rose to his feet, “Don’t tell me you’ve been outside this entire time…”

“Not the entire time.” Gabriel shook his head, sighing slightly, “In any case, you’re back  _ far _ later than I anticipated. It’s past midnight, Emilie… you said that filming was supposed to be over three  _ hours  _ ago.”

Emilie tapped her foot impatiently, “And when was the last time I actually made it home on schedule? You  _ know _ that things can drag on when I’m on set. I would’ve thought you’d have learned by now not to wait.”

“Adrien was worried about you.” Gabriel said dryly, as she gave him a quick peck on the lips, “I didn’t think it would take  _ this _ long.” He took a deep breath, daring to take another jab, “You know that I make  _ more _ than enough money. There’s really no need for the both of us to be working anymore- especially if he’s to remain homeschooled. He gets distracted easily, and could use more consistent supervision…”

Emilie sighed loudly, pinching her nose in frustration. After all, they’d had this argument  _ many _ times before, and it was growing more than a bit tiring for the both of them. No matter how many times Emilie thought that the issue was put to bed, Gabriel always found a way to bring it back up- usually when she was too tired to make her case.

“You  _ just _ said that it’s after midnight.” Emilie said flatly, “We’re not having this conversation while the paint hasn’t finished drying in our new home.” She gave her a husband an accusatory look, “If you’re really concerned with Adrien getting lonely, then let him spend more time with Chloe! Or,  _ god forbid, _ you could even take ten minutes out of your schedule to do more than just critique his piano skills.”

“It’s not me that he misses.” Gabriel held his ground, “I can only make excuses for your absences for so long, Emilie- eventually, he’s going to start asking more questions.”

“My  _ ‘absences.’”  _ Emilie mocked, “I was just on the set, Gabriel, and now I’m back. I’d put real money down that you don’t even know Adrien’s favorite color- so you’re one to talk about ‘absence.’”

“It’s  _ green,  _ and you’ll have to pardon me for expecting  _ my wife _ to be here on  _ moving day.” _ Gabriel snapped, and both husband and wife’s eyes widened at the outburst.

Things were sometimes strained between Emilie and Gabriel, but it was unusual for Gabriel to antagonize her like this. 

“I see  _ somebody _ is in a bit of a mood tonight.” Emilie muttered, pushing past him to walk inside their new home, “I don’t have time for this right now- we’ll talk in the morning. Hopefully the movers built the new couch already…”

**********

The autumn air was brisk, but not unforgiving, as Adrien finally approached his home. He stopped in his path, looking up at the gargantuan mansion with a growing sense of  _ apprehension. _ He hadn’t spoken to his father since his akumatization- just a brief slew of empty platitudes to a confused man while he was still Chat Noir- and the concept of conversing with him as Adrien was still unnerving, considering his role in the Collector’s creation.

Fortunately, he had an olive branch. Adrien clutched the Miraculous spellbook to his chest tightly, as it might be his only lifeline in a hostile battlefield. Master Fu had been reluctant to part with it, but Adrien had been effective in making his case.

_ “The power contained in this book cannot end up in the wrong hands. _ Fu had been stern, outright refusing to relinquish the book at first.

Adrien had been quick to challenge the premise,  _ “My father is not the ‘wrong hands.’ It was just sitting in his safe gathering dust before today.” _

The rest of their conversation had been pretty straightforward, all things considered. They’d talked about Ladybug, but the master was scant on details, insisting that he should  _ “take matters up with her”  _ if Adrien was really concerned. Adrien wanted to know why Ladybug was the one to bring the book to Master Fu, and the old man remained tight-lipped no matter how hard Adrien pried.

Stealing the book was a fairly significant betrayal, and Adrien was still reluctant to believe it considering what Lila had said earlier. He didn’t necessarily  _ blame _ Ladybug for taking it- after all, Fu was quick to explain that the book was  _ extremely _ important- but she hadn’t even come to him after learning his real identity. She’d directed him to Master Fu the next time they met, but the two of them  _ desperately _ needed to touch base.

The most interesting revelation of the night came when Master Fu explained that he was somebody Adrien had met before- the boy needed a reminder, but he was able to recall their first meeting when Fu explained. On the day that Adrien had found Plagg in his bedroom, Master Fu was the kindly old man that Adrien helped rise to his feet near the front of the school.

_ “That’s why you picked me?” _ Adrien had been perplexed,  _ “Anybody could’ve done that…” _

_ “Maybe.” _ The master was cryptic,  _ “But did they?” _

“Hey, Adrien.” Plagg nudged him, trying to redirect his chosen’s attention back to the mansion, “This situation doesn’t get better by staring like an idiot.”

Master Fu and Adrien’s discussion had  _ of course _ shifted back to Gabriel Agreste, and the master’s apparent suspicion that Adrien’s father was actually Hawkmoth. It was a suspicion that the old man had dropped in light of Gabriel’s akumatization- but the idea that Adrien’s father might be Chat Noir’s greatest enemy was still sobering. 

Ever since his mother had vanished… Adrien had to uncomfortably admit that he didn’t know his father very well. The man had been mysterious and reserved even before Emilie Agreste vanished from their lives, but things  _ compounded _ after that.

Adrien never would have suspected that his father was Hawkmoth… but the idea wasn’t  _ nearly  _ as radical to him as it should’ve been.

_ “Adrien! _ I’m talking to you!” Plagg actually went so far as to  _ bite _ Adrien’s thigh, causing the boy to yelp in surprise- more taken aback than actually hurt.

“What the heck was that for?” Adrien demanded, rubbing his leg reflexively, even though the pain had already faded. It was just a nip, meant to grab the boy’s attention.

“You’re home.” Plagg pointed at the mansion. “You need to go inside now.”

Adrien sighed, realizing that his kwami was right, and began his trek to the front door. He had a keycard to bypass the front gate, but his bodyguard or Nathalie was likely still altered. The Gorilla- as Adrien liked to call his bodyguard- likely wouldn’t be pleased about being given the slip for the better part of the day, but there wasn’t anything Adrien could’ve done differently.

The front door swung open before Adrien could reach it, “Adrien!”

“F-Father?” Adrien was absolutely floored to realize that Gabriel Agreste was the one waiting for him, and was even more shocked when the man  _ rushed, _ wrapping Adrien in a tight hug.

It was unexpected… but nice. Adrien wasn’t completely cut off from any physical displays of affection from his father, but they were far from the norm. His father was warm, and the air outside was still cold. But more importantly, Adrien had been prepared to defend himself.

“I’m sorry…” Gabriel lamented, as he broke off the embrace, keeping his hands on Adrien’s shoulders as he looked him in the eye, “You shouldn’t have been forced into a situation like this- roaming around in the dark, all alone, to find a book that you could never expect to-” Gabriel did a double take, as he recognized the object contained in his son’s grasp.

“Here you go!” Adrien said, as his father accepted the book apprehensively, “I was able to talk to a friend that had the book- apparently I lost it earlier.” He waited awkwardly for his father to respond, but the man just stared at the spellbook with a blank expression, “Um… I’m really sorry I took it without asking. I know that it was-”

“Thank you, Adrien.” Gabriel’s voice was robotic- all previous emotion at the sight of his son gone in an  _ instant,  _ “You honored the conditions of our agreement, and I will allow you to return to school tomorrow.”

“Oh… thank you.” Adrien was of course  _ thrilled _ by this news, but his response was blunted by his father’s hollow attitude. After all of his father’s anger earlier at losing the book- and his subsequent akumatization- Adrien had expected a far more enthusiastic response at its return.

“Of course.” Gabriel turned around, “Nathalie is out for the night due to illness- she may even take a sick day tomorrow. I take it she already gave you your schedule for the week?”

“She did.” Adrien nodded uncomfortably, still dumbfounded by his father’s sudden shift in tone.

“I will leave you for the night then.” Gabriel announced, as he walked towards the front door, “I apologize again for the day’s chaos…”

“Wait!” Adrien exclaimed, not willing to let the conversation drop, “You were akumatized earlier. I saw the news-”   
  


“A minor setback, I assure you.” Gabriel said, standing in the doorway without turning around, “My regular business activities will be slightly delayed, but I don’t think-”

“That’s  _ not _ what I mean.” Adrien’s voice became desperate, “Father… I didn’t realize I’d upset you that much. You’re so closed off, and now I’m- well, I’m worried about you.” It felt odd for Adrien to say that to his caregiver, but that didn’t make it any less true, “You freaked out about the book earlier, and now that I’ve finally returned it you seem even more-”

“I am  _ fine.” _ Gabriel’s voice was almost a  _ growl, _ “Adrien, you can go to school- what more do you want from me?”

Ordinarily, even that slight aggression would’ve been enough to make Adrien back off. Gabriel Agreste was a very intelligent and composed individual- when he was  _ calm. _ The aging designer had a notorious temper, and Adrien would definitely be treading on thin ice if he pushed his father any further.

But there was something  _ infuriating _ about his father’s response- Adrien had brought the book back, after agonizing for  _ hours _ about it. He’d roped Chloe, Lila, and Marinette all into his troubles by making them search the park. Chat Noir had bothered Ladybug about the topic, and he’d even been forced to fight some  _ turtle _ to get it back.

Adrien found himself  _ seething _ that his efforts were so quickly swatted away.

“What the  _ heck  _ is that supposed to mean!?” Adrien snapped, far more maliciously than he ever would’ve planned, “What do you mean ‘what do I want!?’ I just spent my entire afternoon working by  _ behind _ off to find that  _ stupid book-” _ Adrien had to restrain himself from slapping it out of his father’s hands, “-only for you to just take it and walk away!”

Gabriel remained facing away, completely silent. Adrien paused, waiting for a response, but the man gave no indication that he wanted to speak.

“What I  _ want-” _ Adrien took a deep breath, “-is my  _ father _ back!” He shook his head incredulously, getting more and more upset the more he thought about it, “When was the last time the two of us actually  _ talked _ about anything? Not since Mom, that’s for sure.” Gabriel tensed, but Adrien wasn’t finished yet, “She’s been  _ gone _ for two years now, and you won’t even tell me-”

_ “Five hundred and eighty-nine days.” _ Gabriel snapped, finally whirling back around “That’s how long it’s been, Adrien. Nineteen  _ fucking _ months.” Gabriel grit his teeth, and Adrien’s eyes widened in something resembling fear,  _ “You  _ have no idea how much I’ve sacrificed- no idea what I’m protecting  _ you _ from.” He shook his head, looking at Adrien with a sort of glowing  _ contempt _ that the boy wasn’t ready for, “This goes  _ far _ beyond your concerns about us  _ ‘talking.’” _

“I-I don’t understand.” Adrien shifted, trying to regain his composure, but his father’s eyes had a terrifying glint in them now.

_ “Then. Mind. Your. Tongue.” _ Gabriel seethed, and waltzed back into the mansion without another word. He slammed the door behind him, leaving Adrien out in the cold autumn air.

**********

The Agreste Mansion was an incredibly sophisticated piece of architecture- blessed with not one, but  _ two _ secret lairs for its resident supervillain. The first saw significantly more use than its peer- resting on top of the mansion and tasked with hosting Hawkmoth’s entire supply of butterflies that he used for akumatization, as well as the man himself whenever he directed the resulting akumatized villains. 

Right now, however, Gabriel Agreste was making use of the other chamber. This one was placed far beneath the mansion, almost as far underground as the city’s infamous catacombs- shrouded in significantly more  _ danger.  _ The lighting was fairly dim, but not inadequate. Despite its size, the chamber only contained two sections of interest: the elevator, and a gigantic platform connected by a long and narrow walkway.

The platform was where Gabriel stood now- he had entered from the elevator in his office, but was now  _ trembling _ despite his legal ownership of the entire estate. He stood anxiously in front of a massive life support pod that had been placed in the middle of the platform, staring at a blonde figure contained within.

He’d been harsh with his son and he regretted it… but Adrien truly had no idea what was at stake down here.

_ “Gabriel…”  _ A soft, feminine voice whispered from the shadows, causing him to immediately freeze. He could feel a  _ presence _ in the room, as temperature quite literally dropped several degrees. The lights flickered for a brief moment, and the soft whistle of a growing breeze could be heard all around, even as Gabriel himself felt nothing.

“I’m here.” Gabriel’s voice was almost inaudible, “The book has been returned- I was wrong to bother you. It was a false alarm.” He nearly  _ quivered, _ as the presence stirred at his words, clearly not content.

_ “...excuse me?” _ The voice hissed, and Gabriel could feel a breathing on his neck. He immediately whirled around to face it, but there was nothing in his line of vision.

_ “Gabriel…”  _ The voice was filled with contempt, and came from further away this time,  _ “You would waste my time… for a false alarm?” _

“They were in my house!” Gabriel protested desperately, recalling the incident with Volpina, “How I was to know that your book hadn’t ended up in the hands of Ladybug and Chat No-” Something small flew out of the darkness, and Gabriel was only barely able to catch it. He stared at the small purple brooch, shaking slightly as Nooroo reappeared next to him.

“Master?” Nooroo looked even more perturbed than Gabriel, looking around the lair with a certain  _ fear _ in his eyes.

“Quiet.” Gabriel snapped his fingers, and the kwami’s mouth was sealed as he pinned the brooch underneath his tie.

Hoping against hope that their conversation had ended, Gabriel turned back towards the elevator to leave. Unfortunately for him- the presence wasn’t done yet. Gabriel sensed it  _ move, _ and whirled back around to spot a dark silhouette resting on top of the garden’s life-support pod. He couldn’t distinguish any of…  _ her _ features, but he could still sense the contempt in her bright green eyes as she regarded him.

_ “My patience grows thin.” _ She whispered softly,  _ “Gabriel… you won’t fail me, will you?” _

“Never!” Gabriel said firmly, but grew nervous as she looked down at the pod. She wouldn’t do anything… would she? All he’d done was waste her time by having her akumatize him… there was no reason for there to be any additional consequences.

_ “You know full well what’s at stake here.”  _ She ran her hand across the pod’s control panel,  _ “You may have gotten away unscathed today… but I’d count my lucky stars if I were you.” _

“I appreciate the concern.” Gabriel forced his voice to be dispassionate, “Is there… anything else?”

_ “Not unless you’ve made any other blunders you wish to disclose.”  _ The voice mocked, but fortunately didn’t seem angry anymore. She placed a palm on the glass screen concealing the blonde figure within,  _ “You may go, Gabriel.” _

Not one to waste an opportunity to preserve his own safety, Gabriel Agreste quickly turned to power-walk away, Nooroo in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of the first act- don't worry, I hope to have the next one started within a week or so. We'll see more of Lila, Marinette, Master Fu, Chloe, and the rest of the gang again so don't worry about their absence :)
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


	11. Sounds Like She's a Good Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Useful advice.” Adrien said dryly, poking Plagg back out of sight, “I take it she’s on your hit list too?”
> 
> “Maybe after I take care of your asshole father.” Plagg muttered, and Adrien scowled.

“Lila?” The Italian girl jumped, as the voice came from far closer than she was ready for.

“Adrien!” She played off her surprise with a laugh, before arching an eyebrow, “It’s good to see you…” Lila blinked, “...still in school?”

“Things ended up working out.” Adrien said flatly, maintaining a guarded expression, “You look like you’re waiting for somebody...”

Lila had been waiting in front of the school, hoping that Marinette or one of her other acquaintances from yesterday would show up sooner or later. It was only her second day at this school, and she had skipped half of the first day- she was going to need to move quickly to make up for lost time. She would only be the “new girl” for so long, and she would need to be efficient with that window.

“I was hoping to see somebody that I know.” Lila explained, and smiled sweetly, “Looks like I don’t have to wait any longer, huh?”

Adrien started to walk towards the entrance, “You think we know each other?”

“Decently well.” Lila said, jogging a few steps to catch up with him, “Considering that it’s only my second day.” He ignored this, causing Lila to purse her lips, “So… did you find the book?”

“What’s it matter to you?”

“A lot, actually.” Lila put a hand on Adrien’s arm, forcing the boy to stop in his tracks, “I mean… I did spend a good chunk of my afternoon familiarizing myself with the city trash bins.”

_Also, I’d love for you to learn who_ **_really_ ** _took it..._

“We were reduced to looking through the trash because you _stole_ it.” Adrien gave a nasty look as he pulled his arm away with slightly more force than necessary, “Besides, you lied to me _a lot_ yesterday. I don’t think I owe you anything.”

Lila could only barely suppress her frown, as she forced herself to maintain a mostly neutral expression. Adrien didn’t trust her- for obvious reasons. And even though not being trusted was something Lila didn’t _like,_ she was used to it, and she could handle it. Something that she _couldn’t_ handle, however, was being blamed for something that wasn’t her fault… especially when the real culprit was somebody she already detested…

“We would’ve found the book, you know.” Lila’s voice was tight, “Do you know why it wasn’t in that trash bin?”

Adrien regarded her cooly, “Probably because you lied, but I get the feeling you have a different explanation in mind.”

“Because somebody else already took it.” Lila said icily, folding her arms across her chest, “It was a book of _superheroes,_ Adrien. Ladybug showing up two minutes after I pitched it is _not_ a coincidence.”

For a brief second, Adrien’s composed attitude melted- his eyes widened, more alarmed than surprised, and his nose twitched _ever so slightly._ It was only a second- Adrien’s professional veneer was quick to return- but it didn’t go unnoticed. Lila wasn’t going to waste this opportunity to _pounce._

“I know I was wrong to take your book.” Lila admitted, “But if you’re looking for somebody to blame… I’m not your girl, or should I say _bug?”_

Adrien kept his expression stoic- years of training as both a fashion model and Gabriel Agreste’s son had blessed him with that skill. “I don’t have time for this.” He said curtly, turning to walk away for the second time, “I’ll see you around, Lila.”

Lila let him go this time, too confused by his reaction to intervene. Much like when she’d talked to Marinette yesterday, she got the distinct feeling that there was _something_ going on with this boy that she didn’t understand. After all of the time and labor he’d spent finding the book yesterday, she’d have expected _some_ kind of a reaction when she accused Ladybug like that. Even refusing to believe her would’ve made more sense.

She folded her arms across her chest, releasing a frustrated sigh as she got ready to enter the building alone. At least- until she spotted another familiar face walking up the steps.

“Marinette?” Lila called, prompting her to turn in surprise, “There you are! I figured you’d show up eventually.”

“Hey Lila.” Marinette waved politely as the new girl rushed to her side, but her tone was slightly _guarded,_ not unlike Adrien, “I see you made it home okay.”

“Home is my native _Venezia.”_ Lila corrected, “...but yes, I made it back to the apartment just fine, thank you.”

“I’m sure your parents were worried.”

They most certainly were _not,_ but that was a conversation for a different time. Lila couldn’t help but admire the way that Marinette had borrowed a page from her book- immediately making the conversation about Lila rather than herself.

“Of course.” Lila said as neutrally as possible, and waved her hand dismissively, “I just got done talking with your future boyfriend.” That was certain to shift the tide.

“A-Adrien?” Marinette seemed to choke, eyes widening comically, “Lila! Swear to me you didn’t tell him-”

“-about your bedroom shrine?” Lila teased, “Don’t worry. I make it a point not to snitch on people that I actually like.”

_People I actually like._ Marinette immediately recognized the veiled threat. Even though Lila maintained a completely friendly demeanor- she made it obvious that Marinette would be wise to stay on the list of people that she “actually liked.” Unfortunately for her, Lila already had more than enough ammunition to bury her if a fight started up.

Things were already complicated enough between Ladybug and Adrien/Chat Noir. The last thing she needed was Marinette-related drama making things even worse.

“But enough about me.” Lila said, even though they were already not talking about her, “Your father- bless his heart- is _easily_ one of the best bakers I’ve ever met…”

**********

“I don’t like her.” Plagg’s rebuke was sharp, and his eyes seemed to be glowing slightly greener than usual as he peered out of Adrien’s shirt at the Italian girl vanishing into the distance behind them.

“Useful advice.” Adrien said dryly, poking Plagg back out of sight, “I take it she’s on your hit list too?”

“Maybe after I take care of your asshole father.” Plagg muttered, and Adrien scowled.

“He was _akumatized.”_ Adrien said, but Plagg had apparently decided that their conversation was over.

Plagg had been reduced to a hissing, spitting mess as soon as Adrien’s father had finished his rant last night. His threats had escalated _far_ beyond destroying Gabriel’s office this time- much to Adrien’s chagrin. Adrien was certainly upset by his father’s words, and still angry about his reaction to the book, but the kwami had gone more than a little bit too far.

Now wasn’t the time to argue with Plagg about that. Lila’s words- or more specifically her demeanor- might be cause for concern. Even after being given a few hours to cool down, Lila clearly still had it out for Ladybug.

“Lila’s not a real threat, is she?” Adrien asked, mostly to himself, “She figured out that Ladybug has something to do with the book, but I don’t think-”

“Adrikins!” Chloe exclaimed, eyes lighting up with excitement at the sight of her oldest friend.

“Hey Chloe.” Adrien smiled politely, as the blonde girl seemed to _fly_ into his arms, wrapping him in a warm embrace without hesitation. Adrien really wasn’t in the mood to humor Chloe’s doting today, but he figured that she deserved it after she’d taken the time to help him find his book.

“You have no _idea_ how worried I was.” Chloe said sharply, “I was getting ready to have my father call the military…” Chloe was completely serious as she finally broke off the embrace, “If your father hadn’t let you come back here, there would be paratroopers kicking down the front door before he could say-”

“I get it, I get it.” Adrien laughed softly, softly _shushing_ her in the hope of stopping any gossip from getting out, “Things worked out though, didn’t they? He let me come back.”

“Luckily for him.” Chloe sneered, and shot Adrien a suspicious look, “Seriously though? You totally _ditched_ me in the park last night.”

“I had to make sure that Marinette and Lila were okay.” Adrien protested, recalling the lie he’d used to slip away and fight the Collector.

“Great. Two of my _favorite_ people.” Chloe said sarcastically, as she shook her head in disgust, “Speaking of your father- he _really_ got akumatized over that stupid book?” She sighed, giving Adrien a slightly more sympathetic look, “They’ve been having a field day online about all of this, you know.”

Adrien knew.

The major news networks had been quick to identify fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste as the villain terrorizing the city yesterday- a detail that caused _Gabriel_ stock to plummet by almost ten percent already. It had also fueled a _storm_ of online gossip about the personal lives of the Agreste family- gossip that Adrien could only ignore. He’d learned from a young age that rumors about celebrities were just that- _rumors,_ and he couldn’t waste time dignifying them.

“Well, you know how it is.” Adrien said quietly, “People on the internet will say just about anything, _especially_ when celebrities are involved. All I can do is ignore it.”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed, as Adrien had only answered the second half of her question, “Why was your father akumatized?”

“Dude!” Nino interrupted the blondes, walking in between them and putting an arm around each of their shoulders. This caused Chloe to immediately recoil, of course, but Adrien was thrilled to see his best friend.

“Nino!” Adrien laughed, grinning from ear to ear as Chloe forcefully removed the newcomer’s arm, “What’s up?”

“You tell me.” Nino socked him on the arm with a grin of his own, “Haven’t seen you since lunch break yesterday, and you weren’t online last night either. I saw the news about your old man wrecking the city, and that was pretty lit I guess.”

Adrien did a double take, as he realized that he hadn’t told Nino _anything_ about his father’s missing book- or the possibility that he might never return to school. He’d been so distracted by Ladybug, Lila, and his own father that it had slipped his mind… granted, he had no idea what he would’ve told him anyways, so it was just as well.

“Yeah, Father got pretty mad.” Adrien chuckled nervously, prompting Nino and Chloe to share an unimpressed look. 

Chloe’s eyes narrowed again, and she looked like she wanted to _pounce,_ but Nino fortunately intervened.

“Let me guess- you had another photoshoot, and your poses were a bit lacking?” Nino asked, and gave a cocky smile. He pulled back, flexing his muscles and shifting his hips in a mocking imitation of Adrien’s most recent photoshoot before lowering his voice and leaning mere _inches_ away from the blond boy’s face.

“Are you… _aroused?”_ Nino grinned, and puckered his lips. The expression on Chloe’s face was one of pure repulsion, but Adrien was quick to smirk.

“Oh… _Nino…”_ Adrien gave a lovesick sigh as he swooned, forcing Nino to jump backwards as Adrien pretended to faint onto his chest. He looked up at the boy in the red baseball cap, reaching out and pretending to caress his cheek, “I won’t tell Alya if you don’t…”

“Okayyyy.” Chloe turned up her nose, as the boys burst out laughing, “I will see _you_ later Adrikins. Don’t get the wrong idea- this conversation is _not_ over.” She gave her oldest friend one last suspicious look before peeling away to find Sabrina. There were days she regretted bringing Adrien to school… this never would’ve happened in the old days.

As soon as they were alone, Nino’s face got much more serious. He looked both ways before speaking, “So… your old man.”

“Right.” Adrien sighed, and Nino raised his palms diplomatically.

“Hey, if you still don’t want to talk about it-”

“No, it’s fine.” Adrien dismissed, and paused for a moment as he considered his words, “He got akumatized because I took a book from his office without permission.”

“Oh…” Nino still didn’t look impressed, and Adrien couldn’t blame him.

From the beginning, his father’s actions had seemed completely inappropriate. He had yelled at Adrien in his office, threatened to remove him from school, gotten akumatized, and then had the gall to barely acknowledge it when Adrien finally brought the book back to him. Adrien still wasn’t quite on the warpath- not like Plagg, at least- but he was still baffled by his father’s behavior yesterday.

_“It was a book of_ **_superheroes,_ ** _Adrien.”_ Lila had reminded him of that, not even five minutes ago.

And Lila wasn’t the only one to remind him of the book’s significance- Ladybug and Master Fu had taken an _intense_ interest in it. Master Fu had referred to it as a “spellbook” more than once during their conversation last night, and it apparently contained information about the various Miraculous as well.

Fu was confident that Gabriel Agreste wasn’t Hawkmoth… he made that clear. Hawkmoth shouldn't have been able to akumatize _himself,_ which all but proved his innocence. That being said, there had to be a reason that Adrien’s father cared so deeply about the book

“He was mad that I couldn’t find it, so he got akumatized.” Adrien explained absently, “He was ‘The Collector,’ and then I guess you know the rest.”

“Well, Ladybug managed to beat him.” Nino said, “But after that… no I don’t.”

“Not much more to tell, really.” Adrien lied, as the two of them finally reached the classroom, where most of the students were still trickling in, “I returned the book, and he was still a bit mad at me-” _Understatement,_ “-but we worked things out.” _Lie._

“Weird.” Nino frowned, “I guess your dad… really likes reading?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Adrien shrugged helplessly, and Nino apparently didn’t have any more questions.

**********

“Looks like I won’t be fleeing the country anytime soon…” Nathalie’s voice caught her boss off guard immediately, causing him to nearly drop the tablet he was carrying as he paced back and forth across his office like a caged animal. He had been watching some sort of video, staring critically at every frame as though there were some secrets hidden within, “I think you owe me an explanation… _sir.”_

“Nathalie!” He exclaimed, quickly regaining his composure, “I didn’t expect to see you back here so quickly…”

“The mansion is still standing, isn’t it?” Nathalie remarked dryly, “In any case, I hope I was correct in assuming that the danger has passed.”

“For the moment.” Gabriel said, and waved Nathalie over to his desk so he could show her the video he was examining.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were battling Gabriel’s akumatized form- the Collector, as Nathalie remembered from the news reports. The camera footage was somewhat grainy, taken from too great a distance for perfect accuracy, and the audio was completely absent. Nevertheless, it still provided an _adequate_ visual for Hawkmoth’s first physical battle with his greatest enemies.

Nathalie was impressed by her employer’s bold approach- akumatizing himself was a dangerous strategy, but it was almost certain to throw off Ladybug and Chat Noir’s investigation. Despite her usual composure, Nathalie had very nearly choked on her dinner when she recognized Gabriel’s voice on the news, and had been quick to piece together the rest of the plan.

“Did you have a contingency?” Nathalie asked, arching an eyebrow as the video reached the point where Chat Noir was captured in the book.

“A contingency for what?”  
  


“If you were to _win.”_ Nathalie was surprised by the oversight, “If you had successfully captured both of them, I don’t see how you could deakumatize yourself-”

“Oh, that wouldn’t be an issue.” Gabriel muttered darkly, “I didn’t akumatize myself, Nathalie… Nooroo told me it was impossible.”

“Because it _is.”_ The kwami insisted, taking the mention of his name as an invitation to emerge from his wielder’s pocket.

That didn’t make any sense. Nathalie found herself staring at Gabriel’s back, as the man was now taking a particular interest in the portrait of his wife that was hanging behind his desk. _Somebody_ had to have akumatized him- that was how Nooroo worked, right? Nathalie had naturally assumed that it was Gabriel himself, but apparently not…

“You weren’t the one to create the Collector?” Nathalie frowned in confusion, but her eyes suddenly widened, “Wait, you didn’t-”

“He did.” Nooroo stared at the floor. 

All of the color immediately drained from the assistant’s face.

“Gabriel!” Nathalie’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull, “You _shouldn’t_ have- I mean… what the _hell_ were you thinking!?” Her mind raced, desperate to think of an alternative, “I could have used your Miraculous to-”

_“No.”_ Gabriel snapped, “I will not allow you to share my fate. If you tried to use this Miraculous-” He poked the brooch beneath his tie, “-then _her_ influence would come to grip you as well.”

Both Gabriel and Nathalie had raised their voices, but both of them were on the verge of _trembling_ at the mention of the entity beneath the mansion. Nathalie had never seen it herself- but from what Gabriel described… it was not something she would be wise to involve herself in. Even less wise than serving as Hawkmoth’s right-hand woman.

Nathalie blinked, processing his exact words, “Her… _influence?_ You mean… a form of mind control?” Nathalie stared at him, thoroughly disarmed by the possibility that Gabriel Agreste was not in control of himself.

"It's not mind control." He shook his head, not willing to get more specific than that, “I went to see her after you left- asked her to akumatize me.”

“She was Hawkmoth during that time?”

_“No.”_ Both of them turned towards Nooroo, who looked even more bothered, “That… _thing_ can’t transform with a Miraculous.”

“Clearly she did.” Gabriel frowned, “Otherwise I wouldn’t have become the Collector.”  
  


“I said it can’t _transform.”_ Nooroo said absently, and shook his head, “That’s not the only way to extract power from a kwami…”

**********

Adrien arched a confused eyebrow as Marinette and Lila walked in the room together. He smiled at Marinette, reminding himself that he still owed her a big thanks for her help yesterday, and she gave him a shy smile in return. Adrien wasn’t sure what she was doing with _Lila_ of all people, but he supposed it wasn’t really his concern.

“Good morning, Marinette.” Adrien said politely, and nodded at her companion, “Lila.”

“You’re that new girl everybody’s talking about.” Nino realized, tilting his head in recognition as he looked at Lila, “The one that Alya interviewed for her blog…”

“That’s me.” Lila said, smiling sweetly as she offered her hand to shake, “If you’re Nino, that makes you Alya’s boyfriend, right?” She giggled when he nodded, “She wouldn’t stop talking about you- good things, I promise.”

Marinette wrinkled her nose as Nino blushed slightly, and was disheartened to realize that she had no idea if Lila was telling the truth. Probably not, considering the way she’d treated Marinette’s parents- Lila had taken _every_ opportunity to make things seem even better than they were- but Marinette really didn’t know.

Even more disheartening was the realization that Lila’s interview on the Ladyblog was still up, despite Ladybug herself disputing it-

“Thanks for yesterday, by the way.” Adrien whispered, as Marinette took her usual seat right behind him, “Things ended up working out in the end, so I guess I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

The two civilian heroes stared at each other, the silence between them becoming more and more awkward as Marinette didn’t respond.

How could she? The entire dynamic between them felt… _broken._ Marinette couldn’t help but feel like she was _violating_ Adrien- _Chat Noir-_ by knowing his identity. And while Chat Noir was the one to volunteer that information, he’d volunteered it to _Ladybug,_ and not Marinette. Marinette had no right to know about Adrien’s double life… she could only imagine how _naked_ she would feel if somebody knew her identity and didn’t say anything.

_This is wrong._

“It was nothing…” Marinette said finally, once the silence became unbearable, “Did you-” She coughed into her sleeve, “Did you find that book?”

“I did, actually.” Adrien nodded slightly, “It was-” He blinked.

_Wait a second._ It was Adrien’s turn to stare awkwardly. He hadn’t been given much time to consider it last night- not while an angry turtle tried to beat the crap out of him- but Marinette had been in Master Fu’s room earlier, while Adrien was busy confronting Lila alongside Chloe. He knew that already of course, but this was the first time he’d actually paused to think about it fully, and it didn’t make sense.

It felt like there was a piece missing from this puzzle… like there was something Adrien should be able to figure out here. Marinette had gone to Master Fu, and that was weird, but it felt like there was a correct answer out there- he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

_Why would Marinette be at Master Fu’s?_ He sold massages, and his room had traditional Chinese decorations. Adrien recalled that Marinette was half-Chinese, meaning that it wasn’t the _strangest_ thing.

“Where was it, Adrien?” Marinette asked, her voice almost a whisper as she stared into his eyes.

The question was completely innocuous- but Marinette’s face told a different story. Adrien stared right back into her bright blue eyes, surprised to see an almost _defiant_ glint- it was as though Marinette was _daring_ him to answer the question honestly. 

It was a look that Adrien had never seen on his shy classmate before… but he’d _definitely_ seen it somewhere else.

“Room 320.” Adrien said, and his voice was only barely audible. Marinette didn’t even bat an eye, simply maintaining the same neutral expression as before.

“Any reason you went to that… _particular_ room?” Marinette asked, her voice somehow even quieter, “Just a lucky guess?”

“I did get lucky, but it wasn’t a guess.” Adrien said, his lips curling into a smug smile, “A... friend told me that room would be a good place to start… a very _lucky_ friend.”

“Sounds like she’s a good friend.”

_“She?”_ Adrien smirked, and Marinette looked away with an indifferent shrug.

Lila and Nino were still chatting, and Alya had apparently joined them when Adrien wasn’t looking. Chloe had taken her seat across the aisle, barking orders at Sabrina like usual, while Kim and Max argued about the plausibility of a cybernetic shark. Miss Bustier had taken a seat at her desk, and was opening up her agenda for the day, while Nathaniel started to sketch a bird that had perched outside their window.

None of that mattered to Adrien. Not right now.

Because right now, Adrien Agreste was busy smiling wider than he had in _years,_ at least since the day he’d been allowed in school. A smile reserved for a particular blue-eyed classmate… a girl that had been sitting behind him for _months,_ but had somehow slipped under his radar.

But no more. Now... Chat Noir had found his lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'm mad it took me this long to get the other side of the reveal taken care of. Anyways, there's our setup for the story to really move into new territory- obviously I have a lot of things in mind for Lila, Gabriel, and the rest of the cast.
> 
> Thanks for sticking around!


	12. Designing, Apparently

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where the reader is subjected to an ungodly amount of plant / tree puns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skip, everybody.

There weren’t many trees in Paris.

_“Cataclysm!”_ Chat Noir cried out, making the number even smaller. The dark energy of Plagg’s power bled across the trunk of a particularly aggressive piece of timber, granting himself and Ladybug a moment’s reprieve. Their opponent was unperturbed, and launched several more wooden projectiles as the heroes scrambled to take cover.

Hawkmoth’s latest creation- _Tree Trunk-_ was relentless in his pursuit. The admittedly few plants in Paris all responded to his will, contorting and sometimes even _walking_ to obey his commands as he led a campaign to destroy the Parisian way of life- something he had deemed “an affront to Mother Nature.”

“Just give up already!” Tree Trunk, Hawkmoth’s latest villain, growled in frustration as Ladybug and Chat Noir continued to elude him, “You’re making this far more difficult than it needs to be.”

“We never con- _seed.”_ Chat Noir said defiantly, prompting a groan from Ladybug as he whipped his baton to the right to prevent a vine from grabbing at his arm. His weapon hit the plant with a satisfying _thwack,_ breaking it apart with minimal difficulty.

“Do you ever stop with the puns?” Ladybug asked with a sigh, but it was mostly rhetorical. She was forced to leap and avoid a massive log that attacked with a mind of its own.

“Oh he’ll stop alright. Once I finish _uprooting_ the both of you!” Tree Trunk cackled at his own joke, and Chat Noir beamed as he dodged another nature-based projectile that Ladybug couldn’t identify.

“This guy gets it!” Chat Noir laughed, but frowned as his ring started to beep.

“Oh good. You’ve made a friend.” Ladybug said dryly, spinning her yoyo string like a helicopter to shred an incoming wave of pointed leaves. The foliage was dry and multi-colored because of autumn, and little pieces were able to slip through Ladybug’s yoyo shield. They were just leaves, but they felt like _shrapnel,_ forcing her to use her free hand to cover her eyes, “I think we need to regroup…”

Tree Trunk was a pretty formidable akuma, Ladybug had to admit. He wasn’t as constantly threatening as Hawkmoth’s creations that could end the fight with a single hit (the Collector came to mind), but his command of the city’s limited plant life was a sight to behold. Ladybug threw her yoyo, smacking Tree Trunk flat in the face. He roared in agony, providing the two heroes enough of an opportunity to slip away.

“We’re kind of on the clock here.” Chat Noir muttered, as they dove behind an upended SUV on the side of the road. He’d used his Cataclysm to protect them from one of Tree Trunk’s killer trees, meaning that he only had about four minutes left until he went back to being Adrien Agreste.

“Might as well make it even worse.” Ladybug said with a sigh, _“Lucky Charm!”_ A flash of red energy swirled around above them, as she chucked her yoyo into the air. Magic ladybugs flew around the yoyo, merging together in perfect harmony to create…

“A shovel?” Chat Noir snorted, “I suppose it fits the gardening theme.”

Ladybug ignored her partner, deep in thought. Tree Trunk seemed confused by the heroes’ disappearance, and was currently in the process of having his plants flip random cars in the hopes of finding them. There was something odd about the way he moved… Despite having significant strength of his own, Tree Trunk couldn’t handle any more than power walking as he moved around the street. It was as if he had…

“...roots!” Ladybug realized, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she turned to face her partner, “Chat, I don’t think he can get off the ground!”

He beamed, “Need me to distract him, m’lady?”

Tree Trunk was growing more and more frustrated, as he used his vines to flip over a couple more vehicles. This was getting _ridiculous-_ he wanted to get back to ending industrialized society as soon as possible, and didn’t have time to waste chasing after cowardly superheroes. If he’d known that things would be this _boring,_ he’d have told Hawkmoth to take his superpowers and stick them up his-

“Excuse me?” The villain spun around, eyes narrowing as Chat Noir was now perched on top of a street lamp, grinning smugly, “The president called- he said that you’re committing _tree_ -son against France and her people.”

“And what’s a poor _sap_ like yourself going to do about it?” Tree Trunk taunted, unable to resist the allure of more tree jokes, “Especially when you’re too busy getting _brushed_ off by your insectoid friend.”

“My _pining_ for m’lady is a private matter.” Chat Noir acted offended, gasping dramatically at the villain’s words, “And _really?_ ‘Brushed off?’ That was a weak effort and you know it.”

_“Ladybug!”_ Hawkmoth’s voice practically screamed in his head, before Tree Trunk could admit that Chat Noir had a point, _“This couldn’t be a more obvious distrac-”_

But the villain was cut off, as Tree Trunk cried out in agony. A sharp pain suddenly encompassed his entire body, and he was only barely able to turn around and see Ladybug excavating the ground he was standing on with a polka-dotted shovel. He reached out desperately, trying to summon every available plant to his position, but it was too late.

As soon as Ladybug managed to sever the roots beneath him, Tree Trunk was completely immobilized, granting the heroes ample opportunity to find his akumatized object and restore industrialized society.

**********

“It’s just getting stupid now.” Alya complained, as Nino returned from the kitchen to hand her another soda, “Thanks babe!”

“No prob.” Nino said, spreading his legs out as he took a seat next to his girlfriend on the sofa, “So… what did I miss? You ladies talking about my butt or something?”

“Not quite.” Lila smiled shyly, as Alya elbowed him in the ribs. “We were just talking about how it’s a shame that Marinette couldn’t make it tonight.”

The three of them were lounging in Alya’s living room at the moment, enjoying each other’s company. It was a “welcome party” of sorts for Lila, since she’d transferred, and Lila really hadn’t been sure what to expect.

Nino and any other boys had to leave at ten, according to Alya’s mother, but the girls were allowed to spend the night. Originally, Alya had planned on the boys including more than just Nino, and more girls than just Lila, the results had been… underwhelming. Kim had a basketball game, Max didn’t disclose his plans, Nathaniel was babysitting, and Alix was going out of town for the weekend with her father and brother. Rose was sick, Juleka had ‘other plans,’ and Ivan and Mylene were on a date. And Marinette… 

“She’s designing, apparently.” Alya groaned, pointing at her phone, “Why in god’s name she would be designing on a _Friday night_ is absolutely beyond me, but I guess there’s a lot I don’t understand about the fashion world.” She shook her head, sighing as she saw an alert pop up on her phone, “Looks like I missed out on another akuma attack…”

“I’m sure Marinette would’ve made it if she could.” Lila said sympathetically, “You guys seem like such great friends, after all.”

“Some days more than others.” Alya sighed, prompting Nino to look over with concern, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that out loud.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Lila said, “I didn’t realize things were tense right now.”

Lila had indeed realized that things were tense, but allowing Alya to explain the situation herself was a much better way of satisfying her curiosity. If Lila was the one to push the subject, the young couple would almost certainly become defensive, making the entire evening much more uncomfortable than it needed to be.

“I wouldn’t say things are tense, really.” Alya shook her head, and decided that she owed the room an explanation, “She’s just been a bit closed off lately… and it feels like she’s ditching me more than usual.”

Lila arched an eyebrow, “More than usual?”

“It means that Marinette has a bit of a record.” Nino laughed, and Lila jumped as she realized that he was no longer sporting his iconic red baseball cap, “For as long as I’ve known her, she’s always had a bit of an unreliable streak.” He paused, as though considering his words, “Unreliable isn’t the right word, actually. She’d fight to the death for any of her friends, but-”

“-but don’t expect her to set an alarm every day?” Lila finished, somewhat amused, “Better than the other way around, I suppose.”

“That’s for sure.” Nino agreed, and smiled fondly at his girlfriend, “I’ve known Marinette since forever, babe. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Right.” Alya didn’t seem convinced, but wanted to change topics, “So… Lila. This ‘party’ is supposed to be for you, even if turnout was pretty low.” Alya shook her head as she looked around the mostly empty apartment, “How are you doing these days? I know it’s only been a few weeks, but you seem to be settling in pretty well.”

“Everything is _wonderful.”_ Lila said, smiling brightly, “Your class has been so good to me… I’ve moved a lot over the years, and this has been one of my easiest transitions so far. Everybody is so friendly-”

_“Almost_ everybody.” Alya snorted, and Nino started laughing.

“Almost everybody.” Lila amended, giggling along with them, “Chloe is… something else, I suppose. We’ve mostly stayed out of each others’ ways, so it hasn’t been an issue.”

Fortunately, Chloe had mostly kept to herself regarding Lila in the time since Adrien was almost pulled out of school. The two had shared more than enough nasty looks, but neither of them ever brought the topic up. Chloe clearly hadn’t moved on, but she also wasn’t going to rub it in Lila’s face every day. For the time being, that would have to be enough.

“My man Adrien _swears_ that she’s not that bad once you get to know her.” Nino said, stroking an imaginary beard, “Granted… Adrien’s not exactly known for his people skills, so take that as you will.”

“He seems shy.” Lila agreed, eager to shift the conversation away from Chloe, “Well… shy when he’s not talking to you or Marinette, that is.”

“I know!” Alya exclaimed immediately, shaking her head in annoyance, “He’s all over her these days… I just wanna know what changed.” Alya was venting now, “And I _need_ to know why Mari can suddenly talk to him without falling out of her seat. The girl I know would’ve had a heart attack if Adrien Agreste joked with her like that.”

“Well, ‘joke’ is one word for that abomination he told.” Nino snorted, “But I have to agree. They basically did a full three sixty overnight.”

_A full one eighty._ Lila silently corrected him, but her smile didn’t falter.

“And he hasn’t said _anything?”_ Alya demanded, in a voice that made it clear to Lila that she’d pressured him on this before.

“Nothing I can say without violating the bro-code.” Nino said, clearly not in the mood for this conversation right now. He turned back to Lila, “Sorry about this, dudette. I brought over this new dancing game, if you want to shake things up a bit.”

“It’s all good.” Lila reassured, smiling brightly, “I’m the one that brought it up, after all.”

**********

“Spots off.” Ladybug whispered, triggering her return to civilian form. Several feet to her left, Chat Noir was doing the same thing. Tikki and Plagg emerged from their respective Miraculous, swirling around excitedly in each others’ presence before accepting the food that their wielders offered them.

They were currently crouched down next to a dumpster, in an alleyway not far from the battle with Tree Trunk. The reality that the two of them could actually transform in front of each other had taken some getting used to, but neither one of them was complaining- it made slipping away significantly easier, and gave them both a chance to enjoy each others’ company a bit more.

“A _plant-_ astic job as usual, bugaboo.” Adrien said, still grinning smugly like he was Chat Noir as he handed Plagg a chunk of camembert. The kwami rolled his eyes, Tikki giggled, and Marinette had to look away to conceal her blush at the ridiculous nickname that had no effect when Chat used it, but was suddenly enough to make her heart flutter when Adrien said it.

_I am never going to get used to Adrien acting like this._

“Enough with the plant puns, _please.”_ Marinette groaned, as she regained her composure, shivering into her hoodie a bit, “I still can’t believe you got the villain to join in.”

“If only you’d chimed in with a few.” Adrien was still smirking, “Then we would’ve been a-”

“-Let me guess, a _tree_ -some?” Marinette finished with a sigh, and Adrien beamed. She couldn’t help but smile as soon as she looked away.

Talking to Adrien without stuttering was one of the biggest changes, in all seriousness. The Marinette of three weeks ago wouldn’t even _dream_ of bantering with Adrien Agreste, but the realization that he was also her goofy partner made it a cakewalk. She still felt shy around him sometimes, and she definitely wasn’t used to seeing Adrien act that way, but this was a huge step forward.

Alya had nearly had a stroke the first time Adrien turned around in class to make a dorky pun and flirt with his unsuspecting classmate, but the girl’s reaction _paled_ in comparison to the expression she had when Marinette was able to respond without batting an eye.

“Ugh. We still have half an hour.” Marinette sighed as she checked the time on her phone.

“That’s too long to just wait.” Adrien said, tilting his head in consideration.

“Yeah, but it’s also too short to do anything meaningful with.” Marinette shook her head in annoyance, “Master Fu’s not really making us come over on a _Friday,_ is he?”

Adrien laughed as the duo emerged from the alleyway, “Hawkmoth shows no regard for our schedules, so why should the _Guardian of the Miraculous?”_ Adrien lowered his voice in a teasing imitation of their elderly instructor, prompting Marinette to giggle slightly, “In all seriousness, I’m actually really excited. I could get Chat Noir nunchucks… or maybe a flamethrower!”

“As if you didn’t get into enough trouble as it is.” Marinette teased, but smiled at his enthusiasm, “Have you asked Plagg about it?”

“Better question is whether he’ll _stop_ asking me about it.” Plagg’s cranky voice came from inside Adrien’s jacket pocket.

“He’s just excited, Plagg.” Tikki chided from inside Marinette’s purse.

“The most I got out of him was: ‘there’s more to Chat Noir than a stretchy pole and night vision,’ so you better believe I’m excited.” Adrien grinned.

Master Fu wanted the three of them to have weekly ‘gatherings’ of a sort, where they would learn more about the ‘nature of the Miraculous,’ or whatever _that_ meant. Marinette couldn’t help but share her in her partner’s enthusiasm- at least a little bit. She had no idea what new Ladybug powers she might be getting, but they _had_ to be useful.

“What do you think Ladybug will get?” Marinette decided to ask her partner, “Maybe a second yoyo? A _luckier_ charm?”

“Wings.” Adrien said without hesitation, prompting a scoff, “What? Real ladybugs can fly!”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Marinette said with a laugh, “I find it hard to believe that your father’s picture book will get me off the ground.”

Adrien had returned the spellbook to his father, but the master had been wise enough to take pictures of every page to create a digital copy that they could use. It was written in an ancient language that was similar to a dialect spoken in southern China, near Tibet. Master Fu explained that he was fluent at one point, thousands of years ago, and only verbally. When it came to the written language… he needed to brush up, to say the least.

Marinette smiled as the crosswalk finally changed in their favor, “I think I’ll run home, check in on my parents, and maybe try to eat something. Meet up again in thirty?”

“Actually.” Adrien rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “If you want… we could spend the time together?” He gestured in the opposite direction, “I think I saw a couple of street vendors over there. I know it’s a bit cold outside, but we could grab some food together- my treat, of course.” He smiled sweetly, clearly waiting for her response.

Marinette stared at him like a deer in headlights, “Uh, y-you think?

“Only if you want to!” Adrien said hastily, and his face fell when Marinette continued to stare at him in shock, “Meeting up later works too… in fact, you’re right, that’s probably better! I’ll uh- I’ll run home for a bit, and see you at Fu’s!” Now red in the face, Adrien turned to power-walk away before she could respond.

She watched, still completely frozen as Adrien departed, hastily weaving in and out of the crowds of people currently occupying the city sidewalk. Part of her- a _large_ part- wanted to reach out and tell him to come back, but her body simply wouldn’t respond for whatever reason.

“Wow…” Tikki giggled as soon as Adrien was out of sight, amused to see that Marinette’s face was as red as her partner’s.

“Damn it!” Marinette swore, clawing at her hair as Tikki’s laugh was enough to jolt her back to life, “Why did I do that!?”

“You were just surprised.” Tikki tried to reassure, dashing into Marinette’s hoodie to get closer to her ear. The kwami looked around discreetly, cringing as she noticed several people giving them odd looks as a result of Marinette’s meltdown.

“I thought I was over this…” Marinette bemoaned, and started walking towards the bakery again, “It shouldn’t be hard to talk- it’s just Chat Noir!”

_“Shhhh.”_ Tikki whispered, “Don’t talk about hero stuff that loudly when you’re outside.”

Marinette paled, and looked around anxiously, “R-Right. Yeah, I’ll do better, I’m sorry.” Even though she couldn’t see her little friend, Marinette could feel the kwami beaming with forgiveness in the back of her hood.

“Things may not be ideal with Adrien just yet,” Tikki said softly, still smiling brightly, “But I’m sure that you’ll end up together eventually.”

“Eventually…” Marinette echoed sadly, “I’ve been telling myself that for a long time now, haven’t I?”

“And you’re closer now than you were then.” Tikki reasoned, “I can’t be the only one to notice how much he was blushing just now.”

“Yeah, but now he thinks I’m a weirdo.” Marinette sighed, but couldn’t help feeling a bit comforted by Tikki’s words nonetheless, “Thanks, Tikki…”

“No problem!” Tikki said, and enthusiastically snuggled her neck, “I’m here for your Marinette, and I always will be…”

Meanwhile, Adrien finally came to a stop, panting a bit from his effort. He’d broken into a sprint the moment he thought Marinette couldn’t see him, and hadn’t stopped until he was two blocks away from where she was.

“Now _that_ was worth the walk.” Plagg snickered, and Adrien immediately flicked his pocket in retaliation, _“Ow!_ Just _who_ do you think you are, _mortal?”_

“The one that pays your cheese bills.” Adrien glowered, but quickly relented as he put his phone to his ear as a way of making himself look not crazy, “Sorry… you are okay, right?”

“No, by all means.” Plagg interrupted sarcastically, “Take it out on the small, defenceless little kwami, why don’t you? After all, your little date with Pigtails got cancelled- how else could you handle your anger? Animal abuse is a _perfectly_ healthy way of-”

“Oh, I’m sorry… I must be remembering wrong, because there’s _no way_ you’re getting mad at me when I’ve still got a mark from your _teeth_ from yesterday.” Adrien showed him the damage on his wrist, and Plagg snickered again. There was indeed a small mark in the shape of Plagg’s jawline at the edge of the boy’s wrist.

“You should’ve known better than to touch my cheese stash.” Plagg laughed, “And don’t be such a baby- it didn’t even break the skin.”

“Does the saying ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ mean anything to you, Plagg?” Adrien sighed, “Look… truce? I’m really not in the mood to fight.”

“And I’m no in the mood to watch you star-crossed lovers trip over each other.” Plagg said with an eyeroll, “But sure.”

For whatever reason, seeing Marinette’s wide-eyed reaction was enough to shatter Adrien’s usual confidence in approaching her- or rather, _Chat Noir’s_ usual confidence. He obviously couldn’t know for sure, but Adrien had a sneaking suspicion that things would’ve worked out if he’d just remained his alter-ego for a bit longer.

“I probably just ruined any chance I had with her.” Adrien winced, as he recalled the astonished look on her face, “She must think-”

“I’m gonna stop you right there.” Plagg interrupted, sighing in disgust, “Don’t decide what she ‘thinks’ before talking to her. Is running away with your tail between your legs lame? _Yeah,_ it really is. But you’re seeing her again in half an hour anyway. She’ll have had time to think it over, and you’ll have mustered up the nerve to hold your ground.”

“Yeah…” Adrien said, staring absently at a billboard with his face on it, “I hope so.”

“And if she turns you down- that’s her loss.” Plagg continued, “She’s not the only cheese slice on the wheel, you know? I happen to think that you’re a pretty good guy, and having seen the cringey comments online I _know_ I’m not alone.”

“Plagg…” Adrien was taken aback by his roundabout affection. He was even more surprised to realize that Plagg’s words were actually improving his mood.

“And before you finish moping, can we actually get some food like you were suggesting?” Plagg added, not one to depart from his usual cranky self even when offering advice, “I know you think one wedge of camembert is enough to satisfy my world-shattering hunger, but I could use a bit more fuel in the tank. _Especially_ if you’re trying out some of my more advanced toys tonight.”

“Sure thing, Plagg.” Adrien nodded, and smiled wryly, “I happen to think you’re a pretty good guy as well, even if you bite my hand sometimes.” He reached into his pocket to pat the kwami’s head, causing him to immediately hiss.

“No need to make it awkward.” Plagg said, disgusted by the gesture, but Adrien’s smile remained firmly in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit shorter than usual, and I didn't get as much included as I wanted to, but I figured I should post what I had since it's been a little while.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
